Evacuate or Not to Evacuate....that is the question....

[DuneAHH]

I stayed for Ivan the Storm, but evacuated the day after the storm to escape the discomfort of the subsequent power outage. I stayed for Dennis, because I'd bought a generator and a small 1 room window air-conditioner. Thankfully I've never had to use either of them (I joke that these were the best insurance policy I'd ever purchased!).

There are numerous variables to consider, but as a generality I will stay thru a 2. Maybe even a 3, because even though I didn't live in this neighborhood at the time of Opal, the neighbors tell me this 'hood was essentially undamaged. My home is on high ground, hipped roof, single-story slab-block-stucco construction, surrounded by big oak trees that survived Opal & north of PtWash State Forest.

Maybe it's unrealistic, but it seems like the State Forest provides a measure of protection.

Still and all... if I had children I would definitely make different choices.

 

[ronfrazer]

See the National Hurricane Center maps. As of Saturday morning, 8/30, it looks like SoWal has a 20% chance of 50 MPH winds, and a 40% chance of TS winds--39+ MPH. We need to pray for the folks to the west of us.

 

[Bluznbeach]

My wife and I woke up this (Sunday) morning, found out we were under a tropical storm warning -- not a watch, a warning -- and decided pretty quickly to head for home a day early. As it was, we caught some heavy rain in Alabama and a little more in GA, but tomorrow could be much worse. We also saw a ton of Louisiana and Mississippi tags heading east on I-85. Be safe, y'all.