they are saying on the local news that forecast models still show that the expected track of this storm, which is currently on the coast of Honduras, is to be northward, which would allow for it to gain strength in the next couple days. It may generate rain for us, and if it continues northward it will be pulled towards Florida.

so, if it goes northward, and strengthens, we may have hurricane Michelle next weekend.

Do I need this? No.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2001

Answers

Hmmm, I'd better keep an eye on this too.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2001

thanks for the graph.

I really do not need this storm. I guess we'll have to rush down and shutter the place at some point. We'll see.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2001

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2001

bump. Update:

http://www.gopbi.com/weather/special/storm/atlantic/michelle_path.h tml

link

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2001

could be category one hurricane today, the weather channel said.

I am not looking forward to this at all. I sure hope it goes somewhere else.

We should be moving back in the house late next week. We hope!

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2001

Maybe we could send down some of those planes that are laying down chemtrails, which seem to suck the moisture out of the air.

If Michelle doesn't turn, you and your wife are welcome to visit us up here in Ohio. No one has found any anthrax spores, yet, and the temps are still in the 60s.

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2001

thanks for the offer, but all our winter clothes are in storage with the rest of our stuff.

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

wimp! since when is 60s winter? my maximum tolerable temperature for yard work is about 65.

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

Oh sure, sixties for highs. I could wear a few t-shirts for that, if necessary.

But what are the lows? git had 22 degrees in NC just a few days ago.

And then there is work. I have been using up my annual leave lately because of the house.

the electric inspection failed. The inspector says the wires from the pole to the house are too close to the patio roof. But it is higher than it used to be, so I don't know what their problem is.

Also, the contractor is trying to tell me that I can get a 36" dryer thru a 30" door. The old door was 36" and he says it wasn't. I lived there since 1989 and we have been pricing steel doors to replace that one for three years. You wanna tell me who knows howbig the old door was?

Sorry, I am pissed because I am stuck in this friggin hotel room and the contractor is buying my ceiling fans, no doubt lower quality than what we had before. One doesn't even match the original. We bought white so it would blend in to the ceiling, which is white, and low. He bought one with brass fittings, which as we all know pit inthe salty air. And yes, we have salty air.

errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

Gawd, I do NOT envy you, dealing with those people.

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

Put it in writing, Barefoot.

That doesn't mean they'll read the contract, but if the repairs aren't to your liking, you have hard evidence that you're not just making stuff up.

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

Blown to the top, going NNW at 130 mph :) (as of 7 AM)

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

Herald-Sun

Michelle Strengthens, Heads to Cuba By ANITA SNOW : Associated Press Writer Nov 3, 2001 : 8:27 am ET

HAVANA (AP) -- Hurricane Michelle gathered strength for a strike on Cuba as it crept across the western Caribbean Saturday on a course that could also take it to Florida or the Bahamas.

At 7 a.m. EST Saturday, Michelle had sustained winds of up to 130 mph and was centered about 205 miles south of the western tip of Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami reported.

Already listed as a dangerous Category 3 hurricane, Michelle was likely to strengthen to a Category 4 hurricane capable of extensive damage as it moved north-northwest at 5 mph.

Hurricanes Andrew, which devastated southern Florida in 1992, and Hugo, which ravaged the southeastern United States in 1989, were both Category 4 storms.

The hurricane center said that on its current course, Michelle's center could hit western Cuba by late Saturday or early Sunday and approach Florida on Monday morning.

A strike on Cuba "is almost a dead certainty," said hurricane center forecaster James Franklin. "It would be hard to miss."

Cuba issued a hurricane warning for most of its western provinces. Officials there evacuated 35,500 students from educational camps in low-lying areas, and 500 tourists from the beach resorts of Cayo Coco and Varadero.

Michelle "truly is a threat to our country," said Jose Rubiera, head of the tracking center for the Meteorological Institute of Cuba.

Forecasters said Michelle also could take an eastern turn upon reaching Cuba, putting it on a course toward Florida.

"We are looking at a range of possible paths, anywhere from Naples (Florida) to central Cuba," Franklin said.

Meanwhile, emergency crews in Central America and Jamaica were digging out after five days of rain and floods that killed 12 people, left 26 missing and forced more than 115,000 to flee their homes.

Rescuers finally reached tens of thousands left homeless by floods in Honduras, where authorities reported that the storm had killed six people, left 14 more missing and more forced 100,000 others to flee their homes in search of higher ground.

As flood waters began receding in the north, relief workers reached 100 villages cut off by the flooding in Gracias a Dios province near the Nicaraguan border.

In Nicaragua, officials put the storm's death toll at four. Twelve people remain missing and 15,000 people were forced from their homes.

In Jamaica, where two men died in floods and mudslides, helicopters filled with food and aid workers reached 13 villages cut off by flooding on the island's northeast coast.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

they just said it was a category four on the car radio.

that is an andrew. Although there are still those who think Andrew was a five.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

It's looking more and more as if it's going to do a U-turn around Cuba, passing to the south of Florida. Of course, that doesn't mean Florida is off the hook by any means but it doesn't look quite as bad as it did. Relative, I know, and things could change (as they often do with hurricanes). Hell, we could end up with some effects too if that system pulling it east decides to do something else.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if it went straight up US 1 from Key West to Key Largo, hitting each island in the chain. Then skimming the coast of South Dade just below Homestead, thus traumitizing the Andrew survivors there. I am north of Homestead and so would be on the north and west side of the storm, so mostly wind.

But, if they issue a hurricane warning, we have to go board up the house, or we can't have insurance cover any damage that results.

Of course, the warning will probably be at night, so we'll have to do the work at night. What fun!

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

Do you already have plywood, Barefoot? Or would that mean a trip to the lumberyard?

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

we bought storm panels in 1998. The tracks to mount them are on the house, all we do is push them up in place and screw on the wingnut at the bottom. Takes about two hours, if they aren't blocked by other stuff in the shed. And you know they are. LOL

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

Yikes, Barefoot!

000 WTNT35 KNHC 031751 TCPAT5 BULLETIN HURRICANE MICHELLE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 20A

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 1 PM EST SAT NOV 03 2001

...MICHELLE A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE...DRIFTING NORTHWARD...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN CUBA FOR THE PROVINCES FROM PINAR DEL RIO EASTWARD TO CIEGO DE AVILA INCLUDING THE ISLE OF YOUTH.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM OCEAN REEF WESTWARD TO THE DRY TORTUGAS... INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ISLAND OF GRAND CAYMAN.

ALL INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS AND SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE BAHAMA ISLANDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF MICHELLE. WATCHES AND WARNINGS MAY BE UPGRADED AND EXTENDED NORTHWARD LATER TODAY.

AT 1 PM EST...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE MICHELLE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 84.2 WEST OR ABOUT 175 MILES ...275 KM...SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE WESTERN TIP OF CUBA.

MICHELLE HAS BEEN MOVING SLOWLY AND ERRATICALLY BUT MOSTLY TOWARD THE NORTH. A SLOW NORTHWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 135 MPH...215 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. MICHELLE IS A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES... 45 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 145 MILES...230 KM.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 937 MB...27.67 INCHES.

OUTER RAINBANDS ARE OVER PORTIONS OF CUBA...THE CAYMAN ISLANDS...JAMAICA AND THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 10-20 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR THE PATH OF MICHELLE.

REPEATING THE 1 PM EST POSITION...19.4 N... 84.2 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 3 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...135 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 937 MB.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 4 PM EST.

FORECASTER LAWRENCE

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

I know BF had to go look at carpet so I'll answer for him. I believe there are hurricane shutters for most if not all of the windows, but they still have to be fitted on. BF & Co. are still at the hotel so it's not that convenient. And he says the hotel has no shutters but it does have a generator.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

Thanks Git.

The carpet man has been delayed. UGH!

We'll see him at the house tomorrow at 9 am. LOLOLOLOL As if I'm getting up that early!

We have shutter panels for the whole house except the two doors, front and back. gotta have an egress just in case. One faces south and the other faces north.

I am more worried about all the crap outside. Now that they have cleaned and painted the house, we have no where to hang all our orchids inside. All the hooks were where the new wall is. No shelves anywhere. I guess we stick em in the tub and shower. Yeah, that'll work.

Then there is the boat. have to 'anchor' it to the ground with the concrete blocks, move the gardening bench and anchor that to the ground with bricks too.

Then, there is all the crap that the workers have laying around outside. if necessary, it goes inside and they'll have to clean again. too bad, so sad. I already told them that they have to get that mess outta the yard.

I sure hope the wind and rain is minimal. Breezes are okay. But, no rain if the furniture is coming back. They want to do that on Tuesday, and I said if it's raining I don't want to see any furniture at all.

It's like they're rushing us back in before the storm.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

Oh GOSH! so sorry you're facing a storm like this after all the other stupid stuff going on.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

Were I there, Barefoot, We'd go get a path cleared out to the shed, and then I'd buy you both pizza. Sounds like it might be a long night.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

oh meemur, you are too kind!

Getting to the shed isn't the problem. We packed up a lot of stuff into the shed when they emptied the house. All the stuff we use weekly out on the patio is now in the shed, and the panels are stored in the corner. Should only take 15 minutes to move enough to get to them.

Fortunately, it looks like the storm is turning and if we're lucky it will miss us completely. Except for the beaches, which are practically gone anyway from all the heavy surf the last week or so.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001