Hold onto your hat Matt!

[Matt Harper]

Has Key West copped badly?

It's being pounded, as I type - though as Fax says, they are used to it.
It's the NE edge of the storm that's going to do the damage. They reckon we could have 4+ inches of rain, a lot of cloud to ground lightning and (WTF?) tornados! I've had my daughter remove all the potential missiles from around the house, but I'm shitting bricks now, because I have a lot of floor to ceiling glass and some BIG trees in my garden. This is no fun.

[Matt Harper]

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/USNationalWide.asp?loc=usa&seg=StormCenter&prodgrp=FloaterImagery&product=Float1Loop&prodnav=none&pid=none

[critchetti]

Cuba has moved 250,000 people inland, I wonder if Fidel has a spare room?

On the weather report it is due to cross the atlantic wed/thurs next week and cause a few gusts in the UK. I hope no one has any plastic chairs outside.

Jeez, might mean racing the caterham with the roof on next weekend.
Fermez le flaps Matt!

[Canada Phil]

Hey Matt Pidgeon and any other CA's in Florida:
Are you guys OK?? GAB where are You?'
Canada Phil

[Steve Pyro]

How are the plastic garden chairs ?  

[Fax]

The situation in Florida is very serious, the death toll is terribly high and the damage is state-wide.  The most devsasting storm since Andrew in the late eighties.  I haven't spoken to Matt (was going to try him tonight)
But I hope he and his family are okay.  My Aunt & Uncle in Naples suffered some significant damage to their home.
John

[Robbo SPS]

Hopefully the Harper family and casa del Matt are still standing.

At least the vetter is heavy enough to stay on the ground  

[Dave H]

Talked to Matt on the night the Hurricane hit.  The shitter is that it didn't slow down 'till after it passed over Orlando.  Therefore, he was having 100 mph + winds!

Lost his pool lanai and had one of his big trees fall next to his house vs. on it!  I'm sure he's without electricity still - not sure about water.

My in-laws live on Sanibel island, right where the f**k*r hit land and although they're house held-up well (they've got Cat 4 storm shutters/shields that armour-clad their house in such events), their neighbor's roof is gone and they've got the National Guard saying that they can leave the island, but can't come back - trying to stop looters!

I get the feeling there have been a number of fatalities down there - Captiva island next to my in-laws is flattened.  I'll take the randomness and significantly better odds of Tornadoes up here thank you very much!

[Snoring Rhino]

Blimmy guys, my houghts are with you, As Brad said, if it had'nt been for a crule twist of fate we would have been there and trying to take advangtage of the many helpfull tips and advice you so generously gave.
Good Luck.

[critchetti]

Holy s*** that looked scary guys, thoughts are with you all. I'll take the cricket being rained off anyday.

[Fax]

Dave,
No doubt about it, I'll take our dark, cold, shitty winters and occasional tornado warnings any day over having to deal with state wrecking 'canes every ten years or so.
Andrew,
When did you take up autocrossing?
Fax

[Fax]

Oh sh*t!  I hope the Sho-Boat is still standing.
Fax

[SteveB]

Not decrying what you guys are experiencing , but the village of Boscastle in North Cornwall was devastated today by flash floods - 10 foot high torrents travelling at 25-30mph tore through the centre of the village , approx 60 cars in the nearby carpark were washed out to sea. 7 rescue helicopters having been on station rescuing people from trees , roofs etc .   our thoughts are with those affected

[opposite locker]

sh*t a friend only came back from a place just north of Tintagel on Saturday, and that's close(ish) isn't it?

[SteveB]

sh**t a friend only came back from a place just north of Tintagel on Saturday, and that's close(ish) isn't it?

Yep , only 5 miles away -

Check out this video link to see cars being swept down the village centre at a rate of knots - http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39962000/rm/_39962558_floods22_kennedy16_vi.ram