Good Luck, Dave .
Yes, good luck! I remember when Floyd hit my area in '99, it dumped almost a foot of rain in my town (and 6 feet an hour away in Jersey), hopefully something will happen and the storm will lose its power.
Latest from NHC via local weather site:
*Ivan should maintain its current intensity and may even stregthen a bit this afternoon. The storm is experiencing some wind shear, but the Hurricane Center expects this to relax during the next 24 hours. This combined with the fact that Ivan will pass over water with high oceanic heat content means that Ivan may go through a period of intensification over the Central Gulf of Mexico. It will be a strong category3 or category 4 hurricane by the time it makes landfall with sustained winds of 125-135 mph and gusts to 155 -165 mph. Much like a Frederic in 1979…
*The 10 am official NHC track takes the hurricane to the Alabama/Mississippi border between Mobile and Pascagoula. It then moves to a point near Birmingham by 7 a.m. Friday morning and then exits the state near Fort Payne.
*This track means that much of the state will be in the path of some of the worst hurricane conditions our state has seen. The NHC seems pretty confident about this forecast, but still cautions that Ivan’s track could vary by 100 miles or more at this point and that severe weather conditions will impact a wide area.
*The NHC is warning that steering currents are weakening and the storm could slow down. They give an ominous statement about it slowing after landfall over the Apalachians. This could produce a serious flood event.
cjcrescent,
Just came back inside from digging a trench around one side of my shop to keep water from building up and going inside. (one of these days I will put up a gutter) That tells you that I am a believer! Besides, I haven’t any plans for a dockside scene on my layout [:D] .
Channel 33 at noon said it is very possible that we will have sustained hurricane force winds as far north as Birmingham.
My biggest worry is two big 3ft diameter pines in the backyard. I don’t care to sleep with the squirrels.[(-D]
REX
Tuscaloosa (T-town)
Rex;
Yeah, I am sort of a part time weather freak and have been following storms like this since Camille. It don’t look good for us. My brother and his family still live in Mobile and he just notified me that they are gonna sit through this one, as is my wife’s mother and her hubbie. Since the NHC says this storm may not weaken as much as anticipated, it could concieveably still be a Category 5 when it hits. My wife and I are real worried about them but they will not leave.
Heard from family this morning, all are fine in Mobile. Ivan took a jog to the right and hit Baldwin County at about 2:30AM as a strong Cat3 weak Cat4, with sustained winds 130-150 MPH. The jog spared Mobile from being in NE quadrant which is worse part of storm. Reports indicate that communities on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay and over to Panama City are extensively damaged. Pensacola has had severe damage including all 4 hospitals. The Civic Auditorium which was a shelter was damaged as well.
Ivan has sped up to approx 17MPH and should hit here in B’ham shorlty after noon with winds in the 80MPH range possibly as a Cat1 storm. Still expecting 8-12" of rain as well.
cjcrescent
Very glad to read that your family is ok in Mobile. Hope you and yours stay safe.
Over here in Tuscaloosa (on the NNW track) we are having gust of around 58mph with sustained around 35mph with tons of rain. The worst to come in a few hours. East Alabama is really catching the devil.
We lost power around 5am this morning for about two hours. I have been trying to post this for an hour, but I keep getting power fluctuations. I really really hate it when you lose power. You certainly learn to appreciate electricity after you lose it. They said power companies from as far away as Big_Boy’s state are sending help.
There is over 880,000 are without power so far and that’s just one power company.
Does anyone out there in Cyperspace want to buy some rain? We are overstocked and are offering great savings. You must act now to take advantage of this great sale. CHEAP! CHEAP!
Oops! We just got a flash flood warning for the area. It said we’ve had 3-5 inches this morning with at least 4 more before 4 pm. I’m sure glad we sold our place on the river. [^]
REX