Hurricane Ian: "Know Your Zone"

By Jeralyn, Section Disasters
Posted on Tue Sep 27, 2022 at 12:09:15 PM EST
Tags: hurricane Ian (all tags)

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Tampa and Fort Myers seem to be in the cross-hairs of Hurricane Ian, which is headed their way. According to the 1:00 pm statement by the National Hurricane Center, there is also a Tropical Storm Warning for the upper Florida Keys and a Tropical Storm Watch for the Middle and Lower Florida Keys.

Florida has set up "Know Your Zone" so Floridians know when they should evacuaate their homes. The Zones are from A to L with A being most likely to get an evacuation call and it is unlikely that Zones E or after will be called.

That's only half of it. The website says Floridans must also "know their homes".

If an evacuation order is not issued for your area, you may consider sheltering in place. Not all evacuations zones are always ordered. If you shelter in place, it’s important to Know Your Home and its ability to withstand strong winds and heavy rain.[More...]

How do you know if your home is strong enough? You have a leg up if your home was built after 2002. You can also check this website.

Then, readers are instructed, to know the difference in terminology. Low-lying areas are different than storm surge evacuation zones.

Flood zones are similarly named to storm surge evacuation zones. Don't confuse "Flood Zone A" with "Evacuation Zone A. So an evacuation zone is not the same thing as a flood zone. For instructions on the latter, you need to go to this FEMA site.

Then the site reports that meterologists always say, ""run from water, hide from wind." When I see hurricanes on TV, I always see tons of rain and the reporter swaying in the wind.

I'm already confused. I think Florida could have done a better job of explaining these terms. Here are more definitions from the National Weather Service.

To our Florida readers, please stay safe, and let us know in comments how you are doing.

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Hurricane Ian: "Know Your Zone" | 46 comments (46 topical)

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last (5.00 / 2) (#2)
by FlJoe on Tue Sep 27, 2022 at 05:25:53 PM EST

forecast has it passing 70 miles to my West, Thursday morning as Cat 1, not too worried.

Ron DeSantis, (5.00 / 3) (#24)
by KeysDan on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 06:48:16 PM EST

as new US Congressman representing Jacksonville, voted against a 10 billion aid package for Hurricane Sandy. Thought those victims should pick themselves up by their bootstraps.

Maybe there are some good (5.00 / 2) (#25)
by Peter G on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 07:29:59 PM EST

construction workers on Martha's Vineyard who need jobs and could be flown to Florida.


: Sounds (none / 0) (#26)
by KeysDan on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 09:53:24 PM EST

like socialism.

I wonder what portion of the public (none / 0) (#1)
by Jack E Lope on Tue Sep 27, 2022 at 04:31:29 PM EST

...clearly understands "For instructions on the latter", and applies it to the correct sentence.

We're ok here in the Florida keys. (none / 0) (#3)
by fishcamp on Tue Sep 27, 2022 at 08:25:31 PM EST

Over on the east coast of Florida around Sarasota and Tampa there will be big problems at 120 mph when it lands. Hurricane Ian is huge, it's over 500 miles wide; wider than Florida. We started getting severe rain, wind, thunder, and lightning yesterday from the outer rain bands while it was still south of Cuba. Today we get the same effect every few hours, but no wind has been over 50 mph. Hurricanes rotate counter clockwise, and we are on what they call the dirty side with these big fat bands flinging off while the thing spins. They can have their own storm cells inside, but they pass rapidly, soon to be replaced by another. It's dark and rainy now, but will soon stop for a couple of hours and then start up again. Quite nerve racking, and my cat doesn't like it at all. More reports to follow after the next Report from the hurricane hunters up in their big prop planes. What a crazy job. 🌴

Sarasota and Tampa are (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by Peter G on Tue Sep 27, 2022 at 10:22:30 PM EST

on the west coast of Florida, I think you mean. The Gulf side, rather than the Atlantic (east) coast. How about the northwest, btw, by the federal prison area of Marianna?


Oh, East is East ad West is West, (5.00 / 2) (#11)
by fishcamp on Wed Sep 28, 2022 at 02:50:17 PM EST

and never the two shall meet, Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God's great Judgment seat; But there is neither East nor West, Border nor Breed, nor Birth, When two song men stand face to face, tho' they come from the ends of the Earth.
Rudyard Kipling


: Strong men (none / 0) (#12)
by fishcamp on Wed Sep 28, 2022 at 02:51:28 PM EST

Thinking of you, my virtual friend. (none / 0) (#5)
by oculus on Tue Sep 27, 2022 at 08:39:28 PM EST

The (none / 0) (#7)
by FlJoe on Wed Sep 28, 2022 at 06:08:03 AM EST

forecast has inched closer, with the eye passing 50 miles to West, had a moderate drizzle all day with a steady light to moderate rain with winds up to 25 with gusts up to thirty. Radar indicates we will clear up for several hours before the next band sets up.

If the forecasts hold up we should be on the outer edge of the inner core, the good news is that the wind trajectory at that time will be overland and not over the ocean so the wind speed shouldn't be that bad.


stay safe (none / 0) (#9)
by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 28, 2022 at 02:46:22 PM EST

fish.


Jan 6th Committee hearing has been postponed... (none / 0) (#4)
by desertswine on Tue Sep 27, 2022 at 08:32:33 PM EST

due to Hurricane Ian.

No announcement yet as to when they will reconvene.

It (none / 0) (#8)
by FlJoe on Wed Sep 28, 2022 at 09:03:45 AM EST

looks like the outer feeder band has parked overhead, steady moderate to heavy rain, winds 25-30 gusting to 37, The center is still 180 miles away.

Sounds (none / 0) (#10)
by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 28, 2022 at 02:47:35 PM EST

like the worst of it is going to pass you.

It also sounds like the Naples/Sarasota area is going to literally be destroyed on the level Miami was with Hurricane Andrew in '92.


: It (none / 0) (#13)
by FlJoe on Wed Sep 28, 2022 at 05:14:08 PM EST

looks like my side of the storm as dried up, for now.
We had near tropical storm conditions for a few hours this morning but since then it's been relatively calm with spotty strong but tiny cells, "only" 2.5 inches so far.
I got a feeling we will get another shot of serious weather when the next band get's close to the coast and starts picking up moisture.

Is there any chance that Mar-a-Looney ... (none / 0) (#14)
by desertswine on Wed Sep 28, 2022 at 09:37:16 PM EST

will be washed out to sea?

looks (none / 0) (#15)
by FlJoe on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 05:08:08 AM EST

like we dodged the bullet. The center is pretty close, only about 20 miles to the West.

Currently wind is about 25 gusting to 40, light rain.

The worst was last night around 11 when it was blowing at 35 gusting to 55. We lost power but I was pleasantly surprised when it was restored in about 2 hrs.

Most of the rain appears to have passed, although we might get one more surge on the backside, so far we have received 4+ inches in total.

Saw videos of Fort Myers Beach (none / 0) (#27)
by MO Blue on Fri Sep 30, 2022 at 06:20:01 PM EST

Completely flatten in some areas. We have been going there for a long weekend (late January/ early February timeframe) the last couple of years. Have flights and hotel reservations booked this year as well. Needless to say, that it isn't going to happen now.

How sad for the people who have lost their home, businesses and jobs.


It is sad (none / 0) (#28)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Sep 30, 2022 at 07:30:38 PM EST

I have sympathy for people who lost everything

but living in some of these places, Cape Coral great example, is just dumb. Look at the place on a map. It's nuts. I think you would have to be nuts to live there unless you can afford to lose everything.

You could not pay me enough to live there.


But then (none / 0) (#29)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Sep 30, 2022 at 07:33:08 PM EST

I've never been a beach and swamp person.


It pretty much (none / 0) (#30)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Sep 30, 2022 at 07:57:54 PM EST

is a Florida thing it seems. My oldest son did Tae Kwan Do with someone from Florida. This was when they had 3 hurricanes come across the state one season. She said it's the end we're leaving and they moved up here to GA.

Cape Coral actually was a planned community. Otherwise it seems nobody was gonna live there.


It was (none / 0) (#31)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Sep 30, 2022 at 08:07:52 PM EST

and is a swamp. It is the poster child for out of control land developers.

Anyone should live where ever they want but if you make that choice IMO you should not expect the tax dollars of people who accepted living without and ocean view to make you whole when you are blown away.

Because it will happen. It's not rocket science. And with climate change it going to get a lot worse.


My (none / 0) (#34)
by FlJoe on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 05:30:16 AM EST

family moved to a planned community here in the early 60's, population ~3000 now it's pushing 120,000, during that time there have been a couple of more "cities" planted nearby. There are still times when I go to a part of the county I haven't been for several years and I feel lost because things have changed so quickly.


Are they many like Cape Coral? (none / 0) (#35)
by CaptHowdy on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 06:15:04 AM EST

Where it's just a network of canals and houses a foot above sea level for miles and miles?

I've seen some planned communities that are not like that. Nothing against planned communities.


: All (none / 0) (#37)
by FlJoe on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 10:53:35 AM EST

of the mainland communities are relatively high, 20+ ft above sea level, the barrier islands range from 20 ft at the dune line to 0 ft on the lagoon side with plenty of canals, all of the preplanned cities are on the mainline, most of the development on the beachside is relatively older and definitely not preplanned,

It is even (none / 0) (#36)
by Ga6thDem on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 08:30:39 AM EST

worse than that. People build on swamps, expect us to bail them out and then deny climate change is a thing and actively work against any legislation that might help.


Any federal aid (none / 0) (#39)
by KeysDan on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 11:47:05 AM EST

to Florida should be conditioned on written assurances by DeSantis that it will be provided. equitably to all Floridians in need, including gays and people of color.


How many homeless Floridians (5.00 / 1) (#44)
by Chuck0 on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 07:59:53 PM EST

are getting free trips to Marths's Vineyard?


: A trick question? (none / 0) (#46)
by Erehwon on Mon Oct 03, 2022 at 01:44:24 PM EST

Isn't the answer 0, as they flew folks from Texas?

The Marx Brothers made their first movie (none / 0) (#32)
by Peter G on Fri Sep 30, 2022 at 09:16:27 PM EST

in 1929, parodying the Florida land craze, The Cocoanuts. Music by Irving Berlin, although some of his worst. "Why a Duck?"


There are numerous areas in my state (none / 0) (#33)
by MO Blue on Fri Sep 30, 2022 at 10:55:52 PM EST

that flood on a fairly regular basis. People and businesses rebuild and wait for the next one coming in 10 years or so.


: It used to (none / 0) (#41)
by Zorba on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 12:40:34 PM EST

Drive my father crazy, how people would get flooded out along the Mississippi, and keep rebuilding in the same place, expecting tax dollars to help them rebuild. Over and over again.

Watching the news (none / 0) (#16)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 08:32:05 AM EST

I bet the used car market, which has been extremely dry for a long time, will pick up a bit once all those cars have time to dry out.

Buyer beware.

Watching (none / 0) (#17)
by FlJoe on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 09:02:38 AM EST

the news I feel immensely lucky.


My understanding was that a car (none / 0) (#18)
by Peter G on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 09:03:48 AM EST

that has once experienced flood damage is forever uninsurable.


I think the problem (none / 0) (#19)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 09:13:29 AM EST

is that is not always disclosed.


And (none / 0) (#20)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 09:16:32 AM EST

it's been so bad, I have strongly considered trading up in the last few months so I know, dealers are going to do anything they have to do to get used cars.

It's really crazy. No used cars. Not even over priced ones. It might be less bad in an urban area.


This is good (none / 0) (#21)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 09:25:55 AM EST

Apparently they only can't be insured in the state they were flooded in.

Can you register a flood damaged car in Florida?
Unfortunately, no. The Florida DHSMV fully participates in title branding to protect consumers, but standards for vehicle titles are controlled by states and vary across the country. This means that a flood damaged vehicle from another state can be sold in Florida with a clean title

Like I said (none / 0) (#22)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 03:45:48 PM EST

Locally and lots of other places it's not that they are not affordable. They are literally not available.

Used cars have become unaffordable
By Chris Isidore, CNN Business
Updated 2:23 PM EDT, Thu September 29, 2022


Our dealer keeps asking us (5.00 / 1) (#43)
by Towanda on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 05:38:02 PM EST

to sell our three-year-old Honda CRV. Latest offer is almost what we paid for it. Crazy. (But Hondas are always good bets.)

A nephew had his car totaled in Wisconsin and family in Tennessee finally found him a used car. But he couldn't get away from work -- because he's on the campaign staff of Mandela Barnes, running to defeat Ron Johnson. So, nephew's parents had to drive down to get the car for him.

Ah well, they got a day with family there -- but only a day, hurrying back to get my nephew back to work to get rid of RoJo.

I didn't want to ask how much it cost for gas to get a used car more than a thousand miles away.


: OT (none / 0) (#45)
by Ga6thDem on Sun Oct 02, 2022 at 06:56:58 PM EST

but what is the lowdown in WI? Do you think y'all will actually get rid of RonJon?

This would (none / 0) (#23)
by Ga6thDem on Thu Sep 29, 2022 at 05:44:45 PM EST

explain why I have had so many asks about my mother's broken down 1991 Dodge. However the body is in perfect shape. I guess if you could get an engine to drop in you would have a car.


The risk of (none / 0) (#38)
by KeysDan on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 11:40:11 AM EST

hurricanes is more rising waters, and less of wind due to the improved building codes in many areas (especially since Hurricane Andrew). Wind casualties are often caused by missiles including coconuts, when some people underestimate the dangers and fail to hunker down. Of course, the level of surging water is a function of the strength of the windstorm, but storm categories will become less predictive of storm danger and aftermath.

The (none / 0) (#40)
by FlJoe on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 12:26:04 PM EST

problem is the risk of the storm surge has long been known and it has mostly been ignored at all levels for just as long, especially by government officials and land developers and of course the general public
is as usual totally clueless.


: In Key West (none / 0) (#42)
by KeysDan on Sat Oct 01, 2022 at 12:41:02 PM EST

we always worried about the water and not the wind. In Old Town many of the historic properties were originally built by sea captains using boat construction techniques that withstood the winds.