Deadly storms hit close, but not TOO close...

[Asylum Steve]

Just popping in to say I'm still alive and well... :thumbsup: :yikes: :crazy: :hand:

The deadly tornadoes that swept through parts of Central Florida last night were a ways to the north and northeast of where I live.

All a part of residing in this neck of the woods in the age of El Nino and global warming. Violent weather sometimes hits when you least expect it. I feel very fortunate...

Thanks to those who have contacted me to make sure I is ok!

If you have the chance, please support the American Red Cross as they attempt to respond to yet another emergency.

[drg]

Glad you are safe and not to make light of the seriousness of the situation, but it's the weather that the two Midwest football teams have brought with them to the Super Bowl!

[adina]

I didn't see any of this! But it's good to hear you're okay!

I'll be there in a week, I'm sure hoping the weather is nice. As I left my house today, it was 7 degrees, before the wind chill. Supposed to get colder for Sunday...although I'm sure Miami will be toasty.

[Lara]

I just came on line to pm you!! Guess I have my answer. I'm so glad you are okay. It's so scary to know things like this can happen so quickly with little or no warning.

[Asylum Steve]

I just came on line to pm you!! Guess I have my answer. I'm so glad you are okay. It's so scary to know things like this can happen so quickly with little or no warning.

Thanks Lara. First thing I did today was blog, so friends and family could get a quick update. You should check in there from time to time. I'm doing a much better job keeping it current than my web site "news" page...

BTW, they actually do have a warning system here, and it's about as good as one could expect. All tv and radio stations put out storm and tornado watches and warnings much like for a hurricane. They point out specific counties that need to be ready.

They've credited this system with saving a lot of folks from much more serious injury this time around...

[Asylum Steve]

I'll be there in a week, I'm sure hoping the weather is nice...

Well, it's all relative, right. Overall, the weather's been great, but it can change quickly. Highs have been high 60s low 70s. Overnight it's been getting down into the 40s. Considering some parts of the country (like yours), that's pert-near perfect...

You're heading down near the coast for that photo thing, right?

[Asylum Steve]

it's the weather that the two Midwest football teams have brought with them to the Super Bowl!...

You may be right about that. Unfortunately, they dropped it off four hours north of Miami...

Nah, I wouldn't wish this on those down there either. Have lots of friends...

[adina]

Well, it's all relative, right. Overall, the weather's been great, but it can change quickly. Highs have been high 60s low 70s. Overnight it's been getting down into the 40s. Considering some parts of the country (like yours), that's pert-near perfect...

You're heading down near the coast for that photo thing, right?

Yup. And anything over 40 is considered tropics.

[deckcadet]

Glad to hear you're ok! We were watching the coverage in class and realized it was very near you!

[another view]

Glad you're OK - I thought you were farther south. My father in law's new place will be 30 miles from the area that was hit...

Two words - weather radio. Get one with an automatic alarm that will go off anytime there's a weather emergency. Radio Shack and a ton of online places have them.

[Asylum Steve]

Glad you're OK - I thought you were farther south. My father in law's new place will be 30 miles from the area that was hit...

Two words - weather radio. Get one with an automatic alarm that will go off anytime there's a weather emergency. Radio Shack and a ton of online places have them.

Thanks. I'm about an hour north of that (gulp!), that awful Cartoon Mouse Kingdom...

Where is your dad-in-law gonna move?

Yeah, the radio is the obvious "must have"...for everyone (apparently). All the local stores are sold out of them... :cryin:

BTW, moving here from South Florida, by nature I'm not paranoid about the weather. Never gave it much thought down there, either. This is by far the closest these kinds of storms have hit, and I feel it was a freak thing. My house is cinder block (all of the casualties here lived in mobile homes), so I feel pretty safe...

[adina]

Okay, school is closed today because of the cold. We're at about -8, windchill about -30. They were saying on the news we'll be lucky if we hit 0 today.

[another view]

All the schools are closed today here too. I think it was -13 when I left for work this morning, and that wind just goes right thru you... I was in Northern Wisconsin over the weekend - beautiful but just stupid cold.

My father in law is building a house and I think it's about mid-way in the process. Several years ago he bought a house in Marco and we were invited down to see it. The next morning he said "Let's go pick up the U-Haul"... I'm trying to avoid another fun vacation like that - especially during the middle of summer in central Florida. But Steve, since you're so close...

[Asylum Steve]

My father in law is building a house and I think it's about mid-way in the process. Several years ago he bought a house in Marco. But Steve, since you're so close...

Hmmm, do you mean Marco Island? If so, that's way down in the SW part of Florida. A good 4 or more hours' drive from where the tornadoes hit. Unfortunately, that means it's also 4+ hours from me... :cryin:

[another view]

Yeah - Marco Island. There's a surprisingly large percentage of Rockford IL people that have property on that island (good reason for you to be 4 hrs away! ). Kinda like Palm Beach county and NY license plates.

After that, he moved to Naples about eight years ago and that area has expanded (more like exploded) so much since then, that he's ready to get away from it (hurricanes included). That's why the new house is being built...