Naw I disagree totally with those statements. Maybe within 75 or so miles it would be prudent but the whole state can’t “evacuate”.

Been through this scenario over and over. I remember in the 2000s and 2010s where they kept “coming right at us” and would veer to south texas or LA/TX border. Would never make a second of news coverage killing some cows and cacti.

On a side note, it was seriously global warming climate change everytime it hit a city.

 

Firstly, I really feel for the people in Southwest Florida who got a direct hit. They didn’t have much warning.

We’re in east Bradenton, just north of Sarasota. When it was predicted to hit Tampa we took the outdoor furniture in and out shutters on the 2 openings that didn’t have Hurricane impact windows. We prepared years ago investing $30,000 in impact windows and doors. We were absolutely going to evacuate. We had the car gassed up and the electric car fully charged ready to take the dogs, bird and any relatives with us that wanted to leave.

Then when it was tracking south of us heading south of Sarasota I drove 2-1/2 hours to our vacation cabin 30 miles north of Okeechobee to bring in outdoor furniture and put the shutters on the vacation house. Then drove back 2-1/2 hours to Bradenton. My 75 year old body is still feeling the pain. It was strange watching through 8’ tall and 14’ wide sliding glass doors as the trees were rocking and rolling and all kinds of crap flying through the air.

Once it was forecasted to hit Punta Gorda we felt safe on the “clean side” of the storm.

I would never stay if there was a cat 3 or greater storm heading over our house. After what I witnessed in South Dade after Andrew I became a big chicken.

We just got power back in Bradenton last night after running on a small generator for 30 hours. . Our cabin in Ft Drum is still without power. Tomorrow we’re going there to unload the refrigerator, throw the spoiled food out, take down the shutters and drive back home. I won’t have water to flush the toilets.

 

Ocala’ian here also. We dodged a huge bullet here!

 

I didn't even get any rain, just some mist and a few gusty winds North of the Tampa area. But wow, Fort Myers got completely decimated, mostly those living literally right on the coast, which I would never do in a peninsula state prone to hurricanes. For those that were there, I feel for them.

But my truck is fine, got a ton of leaves and crap on it that I washed off the other day and I actually used the nice cool after-weather (60 degrees in the mornings now, WOW!) to do a ceramic coat.

 

Okay, I live in SWFL in Naples. I am and electrical contractor and have employees who live in Fort Myers and Cape Coral. In 2017 when Irma hit Florida there was mass confusion. Individuals were attempting to evacuate, leaving Orlando and heading to Tampa. Only for the storm to redirect and then those same individuals left Tampa heading back to Orlando only to have the storm then redirect again. It is far from an exact science. Many people do not have the capabilities to flee, whether financial or otherwise. Ian was originally slated to make landfall near Tallahassee, the. It made several turns to the west changing its landfall predictions several times. Tampa, Sarasota, then Fort Myers. When it was predicted it would land in the Tampa area thousands began fleeing down I4. Traffic was moving at 3 MPH. It was a parking lot. At the time that Tampa was still the landfall prediction it was best for Fort Myers residents to stand fast where they were. I75 N was burdened. Heading south and then across Alligator Alley would not seem to be the path to take either. It was a quandary for the residents. The late turn of Ian, combined with its slowing down considerably, where unfortunately catastrophic. However, Floridians are used to hurricanes and we will bounce back. I worked throughout the Hurricane and the days immediately afterwards providing power with generators throughout our country. I myself feel fortunate and am very thankful things posted out for my family and employees as well as it has. A former employee was evacuating his home, went to the truck to Lisa’s some items in it. When he came back into his home he discovered his wife had a massive heart attack while he was outside and passed away. Things can always be worse.