I literally just ordered something from Sarasota, I hate Climate Change.

Steve. Any word from your family down there?

I hear ya I’m willing to trade the heat down there for the cold and wet up here. Aching all the time in fall, winter and spring.
I grew up in the south so I know what it’s like it’s just been 35 years since I’ve been down there for an entire season.

My brother in Ocala has batten down the hatches and he is going to stick it out along with my other buddy less than 3 miles from him.
God be with the people down there.

This is going to be Katrina 2.0.....
Probably not quite as bad because DeSantis is a stand up gov --- but its still going to be really bad....

Infuriating that 'the view' was 'politicizing' the storm as 'payback for DeSantis saying it wasn't CLIMATE CHANGE'..... Efff those dumb ass old bittys --- FIRST storm of the season - remember when they ran out of names for storms just a few years ago????

The area impacted and the culture of the people that inhabit the areas impacted are a wee bit different...

True - but amount of damage and costs... seeing 8 feet of water on the tv right now --- not good.... and its going right across the state. Lets see how XiJoe deals with this...

Yep, Florida is used to recovering from these, and has great contingency plans in place.

A Mayor was on saying he had already been speaking with state & federal officials on what to do as soon as winds subside to certain levels.

Katrina was bad mix of faulty levees, and government corruption and ineptitude at all levels.

just found out I got another aunt in tampa sheez thought they where in jacksonville so far saying a few branches here and there but no flooding. waiting thru out the night and see. my other aunts place is in largo wonder how bad the flooding is won't know till mon when she flys out from AK

Wife and I were lightly looking at a southern home in Fort Meyers back in 2018 when I retired. Particularly something on the intracoastal or canal with a boat dock.
The prices were really good but upon investigating insurance, forgettaboutit. Too expensive.

True that but you gotta consider where it’s at and what happens every year in that area. Most all of the places I’m looking for are above a 10 on the panhandle and up into southern Alabama. The home insurance on most every one of the houses we looked at is at least $200 per month but they have low property tax.

I haven’t heard from my brother in Ocalla yet today so waiting on pins and needles.

Cell service is overwhelmed and they don’t have internet, so we haven’t heard much. However, we did get one call through yesterday evening, when most of the storm had passed, and they are okay. The garage flooded, and there was water covering the whole neighborhood when they opened the front door, but the house seemed to be ok. Their generator stayed alive and kept them in power.

We got word this morning that things are a giant mess around the house and neighborhood. Their car got flooded and won’t start.

But … in the big picture, it seems that they fared well, especially since they had winds of at least 140mph in Cape Coral.

All things considering, I’d say they fared well!

Heard from my cousin, they made it without any damage. Looks like Tampa dodged the bullet. Locals there say the bay naturally deflects heavy storm systems ogeographically.

Talked with sis who heard from my cousin who is somewhere between Tampa and Fort Meyers --- they lost both their houses.... One - the 2 tory that they were in lost the roof and flooded --- the other single story got totally flooded out --- that one was on a canal. What a bummer.... but at least they are safe - thats all that matters.