Hurricane Charley
NOTE: As a rather recent arrival to Florida, locals tell me I’m now a true “Floridian” after experiencing my first hurricane. Though I intended to blog the experience, restoring broadband service is not a priority when our three counties were in a state of emergency. So, I’ve posted the following in pieces.
Friday, August 13, 2004: The first bands, or “arms” reaching outward from the eye, of the hurricane have passed through and it’s now rather calm — deceiving, actually. The first arm reached us shortly after the hurricane dumped severe storms on the western edge of the Keys — between 1:30 and 2:30 a.m. The second floor shook when thunder crashed, waking me and rattling the window. Though I felt glad to be on the first floor, I also wondered how unsafe it might become if the eye reached landfall earlier than predicted and we received more than the winds and rains on the outer bands. I actually considered getting up and going to Dad’s this morning. I’d be much safer behind hurricane shutters, but what would I do with the cats?
Though it was sunny when I got up, the second “arm” passed over around 10:00 a.m., bringing heavy rain. Not any worse than our typical summer storms. I think I’ll be fine riding this out with the cats. According to Wink news, the hurricane moved slightly east after passing the keys, altering projected landfall closer to my home. I’ll keep Wink news on. They simulcast on the radio so when I lose power I’ll still have the latest updates. Luckily I followed the “hurricane panic list” and bought batteries for one of the radios. I’ve received mixed opinions from family and friends about how much to prepare for this, but I followed the suggestions handed out at this complex’s office and feel I’ll be safe.
11:00 a.m.: The eye of the hurricane is only 70 miles offshore of Marco Island. Tornadoes are striking inner counties, according to the newscast. It’s a strong category 2 at 110 mph (only 1 mph short of a category 3). Rains here are steady, as during our typical summer storms. Winds are heavier, though. Typically, I wouldn’t be able to see out of my lanai screens because rain blows in filling up the screens. My lanai also fills with puddles during heavy rain and the parking lot floods. Not the case now. Very interesting.
Noon: Rain has stopped. Despite cloudy, low skies, it’s relatively bright outside with gentle breezes. I’m restless, paced on the lanai. It’s actually pleasant outside, though humid. They’re still predicting storm surge (rising waters) up to 10 feet, high winds, and isolated tornadoes. According to the meteorologist on TV, high cloud-cover in the system, especially around the eye, suggests potential for the storm to strengthen. Oh, boy! Maybe I should have gone to Dad’s – with the cats!
12:30 p.m.: Raining harder, the winds are picking up. The palms in the tree farm next to my complex look like they’re scrubbing the sky as they swirl and swish in the gusts.
I stayed on the lanai for a short time — it’s totally empty in preparation for Charley — just to feel the winds. Not as strong as those on Easter Sunday, before the Tropical Storm blew across Marco Island. The air feels heavy — saturated, though — reminding me of boating on days after morning fog burnt away.
Marco Island has lost power and Naples is next in line. According to the meteorologists, the storm is strengthening. It’s expected to hit land around 8 p.m. as a category 3 now. Still moving at 18 mph, which means it will hit close to my older sister’s. I hope they’re prepared.
1:00 p.m.: Violent wind gusts. I think I just lost power. Time to turn on the radio – and light some candles.
1:10 p.m.: Upgraded to a category 3 – 125 mph. Could become a category 4 before landfall. Storm surge is now predicted at 12 feet. If coastal flooding occurs as predicted, my home will flood (and I’m 4 miles from the beach!). Omigosh. Maybe I should have gone to Dad’s. Too late now. If things get really bad, I can hike to the high school (on the other side of the complex). It’s a shelter for this area. Steady rain has joined the winds. Not much water seems to be making it to the ground so my lanai is not flooding – yet. If feel this is the beginning of the violent weather.
1:20 p.m.: Big thing on the radio is the surfers on Naples beach. Officers and news crews are trying to clear them out. A few slammed into the pilings on the pier. Gosh I hope my brother-in-law isn’t there! These beaches don’t even have life guards and the nearest hospital is closed down because of flood threat. Oh, they just interviewed a surfer who said it wasn’t good surfing (duh!) because it feels like the wind is coming from two directions. Now that is interesting.
1:30 p.m.: Growing darker and stormier. Cinnamon (my cat) is sleeping it out curled up beside me. The other cat is hiding so well I can’t find him. Checked all his usual thunderstorm hideouts so even he knows this is a severe ordeal. My asthma is kicking in (means I know it’s a severe ordeal and wonder how much worse it will get).
1:40 p.m.: Winds severe. Whipping the trees around, as they did during the Easter Sunday storm on Marco Island. Estimate they’re about half that of the hurricane winds. So far, little debris flying by. I’m surprised.
2:00 p.m.: This is about as stressful and intense as the Easter Sunday tropical storm. Naples and Ft. Myers news crews have headed to safer locations. Law enforcement is pulling out of the coastal areas. The eye of the hurricane is supposed to be in our area within the hour. (So far it’s still in the Gulf).
2:15 p.m.: Boosted to a category 4. My neighbors are taking their dogs out and the wind gusts are making it difficult to walk. One has a towel because it’s raining – sideways due to the wind – and it just acted like a sail, “launching” him a few feet. Great! Apparently he likes it and two of them (high school boys) are trying to “sail” in the wind using towels. Dang! Small plants and shingles are blowing past. One almost hit that kid! They’re all going inside now. The dead frond on the palm tree is waving like a flag.
2:30 p.m.: NOW it’s as violent as I expected. The wind is whipping the rain around, but I’m still able to see through the lanai screens. Wow! A shingle just bounced off the lanai screen. Glad it’s screened in. Would have hit the window otherwise.( Now I know why the screen has “nicks” that let in bugs at night.)
2:45 p.m.: According to the radio I think the eye of the storm is passing by. It’s hooking east and landfall is predicted much farther south than the Tampa area now. THIS is scary. Winds are 145 mph at the eye – a strong category 4.
3:15 p.m.: The tail end of the storm is worse. Wind gusts are rocking the trunks of palm trees. Boughs of the hibiscus and other trees are bouncing up and down. On one tree they appear to hit the sidewalk but I doubt it. Oh – maybe not! One just broke off, bounced off the pavement and into the wind to be carried up and over the tree! The gusts have to be closer to what they predicted, at least 100+ (Note: later learned top wind speed was about 85 mph in this area.) It’s strange to watch this since the screens are not “walls of water” yet visibility is limited. The sky is dirty-white. Time to head to a safer room and curl up with a book.
3:30 p.m.: It feels worse to not watch the weather. I’m back in the living room because from the other room the winds sounded worse. They consistently heavy but don’t seem worse now than a blizzard. To see the tree boughs twisting–and watching the dead palm frond slowly breaking free from the truck (boy, they are strongly attached!) attests to the high, violent wind speed. It feels about 8:30 at night. Even with candles lit it’s too dark to read.
4:20 p.m.: Very nasty winds and rain blowing – both sides of my lanai have water-filled screens. Can’t see out them. Small puddles on the lanai but the sidewalks and parking lot are not too flooded. Wish I had better light for reading. May just go take a nap.
6:20 p.m.: By 6 p.m. the worst had passed through. Local news reports indicated my area was one of the hardest hit in the city. I was baffled until my sister phoned to say they’d received little rain, mostly wind. Now it’s raining again with thunder in the distance. Typical of summer storms. I guess I survived my first hurricane – it wasn’t as terrifying as I expected, though I have the Easter storm to thank for “preparing” me. (I truly thought that was a hurricane.)
The moldy smell from the air conditioner is choking me, though. It’s made the last few hours of this ordeal awful for me. I can’t use the inhaler again today, but I should be able to open a window soon.
Wow, it devastated Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. I wonder how many people remained on the Barrier Islands despite mandatory evacuation? According to people phoning into the radio station, even homes constructed post-Andrew have lots of damage. Wow, I cannot believe landfall hit only 30 miles north when they projected it to be hundreds of miles away. Now I know what my friends meant when they said it depended on what happened as the hurricane hit the warmer, shallower Gulf waters. They said it could hook, and it did!
Prayers to all struck by this disaster, especially those taken unprepared.