My wife's sister and her husband live in Cape Coral, FL

[MineralMan]

Adjacent to Fort Meyers, which is apparently the landfall for Irma, according to the latest forecasts. They have evacuated from the home in Cape Coral, but only went as far as Fort Meyers, to a house with storm shutters that is on "high" ground, whatever that means there. Earlier in the week, they considered evacuating North, but decided to wait until the path was better defined.

This morning, that path has been better defined, and they're in the bulls eye. They texted this morning that they wished they had headed North on Tuesday or Wednesday, but the forecasts had the eye hitting to the east, so they made their decision.

We're very concerned for them, and realize that we will probably lose contact with them for some time after today. It's likely that there won't even be cell service for a while. So, we're probably not going to know how they weathered the storm for a day or two. That is going to be very, very difficult for my wife.

I hope they'll be OK, but I wish they had evacuated earlier in the week. Tomorrow is going to be a very anxiety producing day for us up here in Minnesota. I'm not looking forward to that.

[beachbum bob]

1. they still have time to get out

you have to expect a week to 10 days without power and cell service.....

[MineralMan]

2. Yes, well, we've been advising that for a few days.

However, they're grown-up adults in their 60s, so they make their own decisions. It's not the decision I would have made, but I'm here, and they're there. I'm not going to tell them that I told them so, either. We're just going to worry like crazy about them until we find out how things went, I guess.

Very frustrating.

[beachbum bob]

3. understand, especially when the situation really goes bad, no one to help for days

if they properly prepared with enough food, water to last 7-10 days without power and their house is built right and not located near the water, they will be fine most likely. Please keep us updated

[tavernier]

31. Don't worry about food, water.

There will be truckloads. I know this from much personal experience.

They may have already left. Only a few short hours across the state. They may not get lodging now, though, unless they go farther up.

[mnhtnbb]

4. They should type in the address of where they are staying in Ft. Myers

to see if it is in an evacuation zone. If so, they should get in the car and get going out of there!

If it were me, I'd be in the car and gone, regardless of the zone. Ten days without power is going to be miserable after the storm.

http://www.leegov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement/knowyourzone






http://www.winknews.com/2017/09/07/mandatory-evacuations-to-begin-friday-for-lee-county-islands/

[mnhtnbb]

5. If you go to Ft. Myers on weather.com it is predicting close to 100 mph winds tomorrow

there. Then look at the next 10 days. Upper 80's to 90 degrees and 70%+ humidity. Do they really want to stay
there without power--a/c, fans--through that?

[Gothmog]

6. My sister is also in Fort Meyers

She is sheltering in place. It is going to be a long weekend

[MineralMan]

7. Best of luck to everyone there!

It is, indeed, going to be a long weekend. Here's a radar weather map link for that area that looks like it will be good to follow during the storm:

https://weather.weatherbug.com/maps/fort-myers-fl-33907?layerId=Radar.US&center=26.5885271,-80.1562500,7

[Gothmog]

9. She is on the third floor of a condo building

They are putting up plywood on the windows.

[GulfCoast66]

21. She will be fine.

It is after the storm that the struggle begins. I am dreading it. But part of living in Florida.

[Gothmog]

25. The latest text from her is that she has her own generator that they will set up in the hall

I am not sure that you can do this. She has a CO detector.

[womanofthehills]

29. OMG! Very bad idea.

[CentralMass]

34. You can not operate a generator inside of a buildng or near any opening where carbon monoxide can

Leak in.

That would be deadly.

[Gothmog]

41. I have told her this

[CentralMass]

48. Good.

[GulfCoast66]

35. I have criticize the panic taking place here about the hurricane

But this is a panic worthy situation. If she does not kill herself she will kill someone else who does not have a CO2 detector. You need to find a way to stop this now! Every year people die in Florida because they run generators inside. Put it on the balcony. And if it's still raining and she is worried about her meat thawing out in the freezer, suck it up.

This is very serious and please make her stop.

[CentralMass]

49. Even putting it on the balcony can be an issue. If she or neighbirs have open windows or doors the

Carbon monoxide could enter the dwelling and accumulate.

[malaise]

8. I wish them all that is good

[rzemanfl]

10. If you want to make yourself feel a little better go to this site-

https://www.ventusky.com/

Set for wind and look at all three models. I have been watching those. We are right on the coast north of Clearwater 6'6" above sea level. Will be heading to a non-evacuation house later today. Two of the models suggest we will have a home to come back to. One doesn't.

[jpak]

23. Fell better? Nope - it has Jose making a beeline to New England

[greatauntoftriplets]

26. I have cousins in Clearwater and Bellaire.

They've lived in Florida for years and know what to do. Other cousins just moved to Bradenton in May. As of yesterday, they had their hurricane shutters up on the house and plenty to drink. They've never been through a hurricane before and I hope that they weren't being too cavalier about it. I'd be scared shitless.

Best of luck with your escape.

[rzemanfl]

39. Hey GAT. We are going to sweat this one out for sure. n/t

[Tommy_Carcetti]

11. Depends.

If where they are going is in fact on higher ground not on the water or in a flood zone, is concrete block construction and has real hurricane shutters, their decision might be for the best.

Evacuating Florida was pandemonium and there was no clear idea where landfall would be or the path would go.

Floridians are smarter regarding hurricanes than non-Floridians think so just trust us on our judgment calls.

They should be fine.

[frazzled]

16. That's what I'm learning

We have friends who live in Coral Gables. We called earlier in the week to let them know they could come stay with us (we figured there would be a chance they could get a flight to the upper midwest). They said they were waiting to see, and that they were in high ground and had hurricane shutters, etc. I thought they were nuts for not getting out of Dodge right away. But I looked on the evacuation zone map this morning, and located their house: it actually is in the lowest possible zone designation. So I guess if they have plenty of water and candles and flashlights, they should be okay. I hope.

[Adrahil]

12. My wife's cousin and her husband live there.

They are riding it out against all advice . We are very concerned.

[MineralMan]

13. That's three DUers, so far, who have relatives

in the Cape Coral/Ft. Meyers area. Amazing!

[Dem_4_Life]

14. Tell them to download the Zello walkie talkie app

People used this during Harvey when they didn't have power.

Best of luck to them. If it were me I would have been out way earlier but if not I would have left by yesterday when it was more defined.

Also for you hang in there and look at google maps they are going to update real time road conditions so you can at least gauge where flooding is. You can also look up the local news on Facebook and sometimes they have more specific updates for that area than what is on the national news.

[MineralMan]

15. Thanks. Already done.

I hope it continues to work. We're closely following weather there. As long as they have internet or cell service, my wife's sister will post regular updates on FB, no doubt.

[CottonBear]

33. FYI: Zello will not work if cell phone transmission service is out. N/T

[mopinko]

17. have folks in orlando

fortunately one sister happens to be in upstate ny.

but have sister, bil, and a couple nieces and grands riding it out.

very, very worried.

[Brainstormy]

18. Me too!

My daughter and her family. My Tampa daughter is headed there now. My ex is in Destin. I'm going crazy weather watching. We' set up times, on odd hours for this afternoon and tonight to do text check ins.

[Nay]

19. I'm in the same pickle. My brother and SIL, despite me urging them to come to us

in VA, decided to stay. Now the eye will nearly run them over as they are on the eastern side of Clearwater. Although they are not technically in the mandatory evac zone for high water, no one is going to be safe from the winds.

I made him promise to text me a couple times a day, just so I know he's still alive.

He's retired, they have a good car, why not come visit sis for a week and avoid that mess??? I have no explanation.

I have told him that I'm gonna kill him if he dies, though.

[GulfCoast66]

22. Please do not panic when he stops texting

We learned in Charlie that cell phone towers go down pretty quick. Not hearing from him is no indication of his situation.

And try to restrain from calling here very often. The phone system will be taxed as it is.

I hope everyone makes it through just fine. Sometimes I think those of us here are better off versus our loved ones worrying about us somewhere else. My mother and sister are worried sick.

Have a nice evening and they will probably be just fine.

[Nay]

28. Oh, I won't. I know towers go down.

[mahina]

20. I have friends right there too, and they decided to evacuate this morning.

Using Waze and google maps, they found that even with traffic, it would take about 8 hours to drive to their destination in Georgia. It's usually a six hour drive, and some thought it may be too late to go. It wasn't, and they are more than halfway there.

Waze is a great ap for emergency evacuations!

Out here in the Pacific, we don't have that option.

[Achilleaze]

24. .

[Siwsan]

27. My niece and her fiance live in Tampa. They left for Gainesville, last night

The original plan was to stay, but when things got worse they planned to stay with friends in Polk County. Unfortunately those friends had done nothing to prepare, because they thought they would be in the clear. She called her cousin, in Gainesville, and that's where they are, now.

They just bought their first house, and the plan was to have a January beach wedding in Clearwater. Now, who knows if that will even be feasible. Their house is boarded up and sandbagged but I still have a sick feeling they will come back to find everything in ruins. I've never hoped so much to be proven wrong.

[greatauntoftriplets]

30. DUer William769 lives in the Bonita Beach area.

He was planning to stay, but after today's warnings, he's going to someplace safer.

[CentralMass]

37. Good :-)

[greatauntoftriplets]

38. Seriously.

[liberal N proud]

32. We have been talking to friends in Clearwater Beach and Orlando

Urging them to come here.
We were in the original bullseye here in South Carolina but now outside the cone. Still expecting tropical force winds.

We are very concerned for their safety.

[CentralMass]

36. I'm watching a CNN update and they are saying that Cape Corral and the areas

like Fort Meyers along those inlets could see 10 ft surges. They defintrly want to try to get to a 2nd or 3rd story.

[raven mad]

40. I hope they went even a little further inland.

The Gulf hurricanes tend to be sharp but short. Even 10 miles further inland is actually "higher" ground, unless you're in the Everglades. I spent way too many years running from hurricanes, both east and west coast of Florida. It sure made my decision to live where I do a little easier.

Keeping good karma and thoughts in mind for everyone in harms way. I hope they stay safe, MineralMan. It's always hard on those NOT there, as well as those going through it.

[oberliner]

42. Not all of Fort Myers is under evacuation order

Just Zones A and B. Further inland is OK.

[Qanisqineq]

43. My sister in law lives on Cape Coral

Kinda hope the hurricane blows her away to Oz, or maybe a house will land on top of her.

Kidding.





Well, not really.

[mnhtnbb]

44. I will admit to having similar hopes

that Trump would have--in a show of solidarity--ridden it out at Mar a Lago and a similar thing happen.

I suspect you and I are not the only ones to wish some houses would land on top of some evil people.

[Qanisqineq]

46. Yep!

Trump can join her!

[Maeve]

45. Got a fair amount of family in FL, too

Sister-in-law and kids on the Atlantic Coast fled west, only to have the storm move that way, too, so they headed back home to wait it out. Daughters in Orlando, hunkered down. Aunt left Sarasota area for Dallas-Ft Worth (and so glad--her condo is on the beach). And we're supposed to head to Daytona for a wedding next week (looks like the venue will be fine) so I think everyone will be ok, but you can never be sure.

Nervous times, indeed. Hang in there, my friend.

[kairos12]

47. I wish them the best and hope they remain safe and dry.

I know you probably have already told them, but they should fill any container they have with water now. That includes the bathtub. I once went 8 days without any services and what saved us was the saving of water beforehand. Best to you.

[Gothmog]

50. I heard from my sister in Fort Meyers

No damage other than no power. What little storm surge there was did not reach the area where her condo is located. The weather is nice and sunny today.

[MineralMan]

51. Yup. My wife's sister told us today that their house,

which they evacuated from, had no damage when they inspected it this morning. Lucky!

[Gothmog]

53. Yeah

This is great news

[sprinkleeninow]

56. Thanx for the good report!

You may not realize how many were/are pulling for all Floridians in harm's way. We're not vocal, but strong! 💓

[sprinkleeninow]

55. Good deal. Yes!! eom

[muntrv]

52. I have a cousin who lives in Fort Myers, not far from the Edison-Ford Estate.

On Edit: They live off MacGregor Rd, near the Caloosahatchee River.

[MineralMan]

54. I hope their place didn't have any damage!

[Gothmog]

57. My sister texted that she has power and ac