Here are some pictures from florida...holy s**t

[Cheswick2.0]

This is a category 2 hurricane? Wow.

http://www.weather.com/newscenter/topstories/francesslideshow.html

[Zomby Woof]

1. Category isn't everything

Or that is to say, although a major factor, in this case the sheer size - it was as big as Texas at one point - and the SLOWNESS, allowing this larger-than-normal mass to dump more rain per unit of time - THAT made this far worse than the 'average' Category 2.

The other reason the mass and slowness are a factor comes up especially near the coast, where larger than normal storm surges are a result.

It was probably the worst Category 2 they could have been hit with in modern times.

Stay safe everyone!

[freetobegay]

2. I have been praying for all the people in Central & North Florida

It looks like we have been spared in S.W. Florida so far.

[Mr Bojangles]

3. While it was a cat 2,

Most of that was caused by the fact that it was a cat 2 sitting on top of those places for a really long time, hell, they're not really out of the woods yet now, and the sonuvabitch made landfall last night about 11:30 (the eye, that is, the storm had been on land for quite some time before that)

[FloridaPat]

4. Thanks for the pictures. My aunt has a mobile home at Jensen Beach.

It is the largest mobile home park in the state. The whole town is one big park. They were all old homes too. Looks like they're gone. She's been there for over 30 years. Luckily she goes to Pennsylvania for the summer.

[Cheswick2.0]

5. Pat, glad to hear your Aunt is okay

Sorry to hear about her house