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happypervert -> RE: Hurricane Wilma ? pffffffff She helped clean the old dead branches from last years Hurricanes!!! (10/29/2005 12:49:48 PM)
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I've been visiting Florida at the same time as Hurricane Wilma. It's been my first experience with a storm like that so I'm just gonna tell what I saw. It wasn't a Superdome experience or very dramatic, but I'm not eager to do it again either. So here are my observations.
Famous last words -- this won't be so bad!
The night before it hit forecasters predicted gusts of 70 mph. I figured we ought to be fine because this place had no damage after getting hit last year by two hurricanes, one of which was a category 3 packing winds of 120 mph. So with us being on the east coast and a weaker storm coming in on the west coast, we expected it would even lose energy crossing the state. No problemo! Gimme a beer.
The mixed blessing of tv reporting
Got up around 6:30 AM Monday and the wind already had a good pace. Still had about 5 hours to go until the center of the storm got to us so watched the action on tv. It was comforting watching those idiots out in it all morning because it seemed if they were outside then we should be fine inside. But then the forecasts were updated -- gusts expected to 100 mph . . . and that the storm wasn't weakening because going across the Everglades was like being over the ocean . . . and that the east coast should get it worse than the west. I was just glad that we weren't in a mobile home after making the decision to ride it out and then seeing those reports.
It's 1/2 done so it won't get any worse . . . right?
The weather channel showed us on the northern edge of the storm's eye and sure enough it got calm outside for about 5 minutes. Just about when we were optimistic we could watch the rest of it on tv the power went out and then the wind got serious. Two windows cracked then developed holes about one foot diameter. I've seen rain blow in a window before; this was the first time I've seen it blow staight across a room and hit the wall about 12 feet away, and when I say straight across I mean the wall got soaked up as high as the holes. But the roof stayed on and the trees outside stayed up, so after moving stuff to keep dry it was just a pleasant 80 degree breeze inside while it was blowing like hell outside.
Excitement is over . . . now what?
By 6 PM the storm was gone and it was sunny out. Took a walk around the neighborhood and could see some trees down, some roofing material and other junk scattered around, and a few enclosed porches blown apart . . . mild stuff compared to the most dramatic images the news loves to focus on. We had running water and telephone but no power; turned on the radio to get updates but discovered dead batteries instead. Took a drive the next day and found a few places open downtown where they still had power; got some coffee, felt real smug seeing the gas lines while we had a full tank, then went home and waited for our lights to come on . . . that didn't happen until late afternoon Friday when we were in the last 40% in our county to get switched back on. But we got batteries for the radio and heard updates on power gradually being restored, could see lights going on in nearby neighborhoods, and so we could make do with candles, flashlights, and going out for meals or buy chips and other snacks for home. And each day more businesses were open and more stuff got cleaned up.
Back to normal, mostly
So now I've had a hot shower, watched some tv, checked e-mail and it's just like before . . . except for the cardboard over the holes in the windows and seeing some debris and damage when I go out. I suspect the news reports always focus on the worst so I don't feel lucky so much as I feel sorry for folks who are unlucky to get clobbered while most folks are probably like me and get through with little or no damage and some inconvenience.
Others may have worse tales to tell and others may have had it easier; I'm not trying to make it sound like fun. Anyway, that was my experience.
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