2 Irma spaghetti models from earlier today. Better news for Florida.

[Fla Dem]

Would appear the eye is tracking further to the east off the coast. This gives us some breathing room. Will still be a wicked storm for SE Florida.

[NightWatcher]

1. Becoming cautiously optimistic here in Jax.

I'd love it if we can keep power too.

Now I'll just have to figure out a casserole I can make with the ton of canned mini ravioli I've got.

[mitch96]

7. " I'd love it if we can keep power too. "

That's the big one for me.. If just for the air conditioning... I'm pretty sure if you are not too close to the coast you will survive and it's all about the aftermath..
No A/C in SoFla with 90+temps and humidity around 100% is no fun... Been there,done that
m

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. 2 PM from NOAA has it a bit closer to Miami - still imprecise, depends upon the turn

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT11/refresh/AL112017_5day_cone_no_line_and_wind+png/175630_5day_cone_no_line_and_wind.png

[Warpy]

3. It's still so far out that nothing is for certain

The current NOAA model is extremely ugly.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. It is Wednesday, FL approach Sunday - lots can still happen - so totally agree.

The width of the uncertainty cone shows that.

[Phoenix61]

4. I'm in the panhandle

My mom is almost 90, wheel-chair bound, with very advanced Alzheimer's. I was not looking forward to getting me, her and 3 cats out of harms way.

[Siwsan]

6. My niece lives in Tampa. Her plans switch, from day to day.

They were going to head to Nashville or Asheville. Then the plan was to stock up on sandbags. Then to head to the Pensacola area, where her brother lives. She works in a school system. I thought the worst of the storm wasn't supposed to arrive until Sunday but she got word that they are closing for tomorrow and Friday. I am hoping they can stay put, with the sandbags.

[zipplewrath]

8. Three specific positives

1) it follows the gulfstream a bit closer which makes more sense

2) The turn isn't quite as "sharp". Storms can do anything but it is fairly rare for them to make turns quite that big.

3) It is slowing down which will help in many ways. It will give the high pressure area to the north east more time to move out of the way.

Cuba and Puerto Rico must be more hopeful as well.

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. I find the spaghetti models annoying for many reasons.

Not the least of which is they have given some of my friends in other parts of the country unfamiliar with hurricanes the impression the storm follows the narrow line. Irma is freaking huge!

As the Detroit Free Press pointed out, Irma's eye is almost as big as the Detroit metropolitan area. And the entire hurricane would engulf the state of Michigan.

This monster is 400 miles across. As the crow flies, that is roughly the distance from Tallahassee in the Panhandle to Miami near the Keys.

Even if it continues shifting east, many of the coastal communities along Florida's easy coast can be severely impacted if it doesn't swing really wide of the state. We would be spared the eye, but still experience dangerous weather conditions. I'm firmly in the cautiously optimistic camp.