For you Hurricane Experts out there...

[Tractor Tom]

We are flying into Ft. Myers to arrive just before noon Friday, with a scheduled flight out on Sunday at 6pm.

I have been watching IVAN carfully on the internet and it looks to me that at 6pm Sunday it'll still be over the Cuban coast. If the projected track is true, what is the chance that I'll be able to fly out on schedule? Will they be closing RSW soon, or will it still be open?

This is a call I have to make, pretty darn soon, and I'm not sure which way to jump. Spirit airlines will allow me to change the reservation without an additional fee, but I don't know when I'd be able to next make the trip to see my daughter and take care of business down there.

I'm one of these guys who believes in 'flexible planning' where you plan for the worst, and then adjust if things go your way, but I HATE the idea of driving to Atlanta to get a plane and getting back to work a day late.

I'm looking for opinions and best guesses here kids....

Thanks in advance!

 

[stu_in_fl]

well, if it heads upto Ft Myers it is exepcted Tuesday morning (with Monday am still just South of the Keys) [this is just one of the possible paths, so hopefully it will change course and also will lose some power before that]
......usually airports stay open as long as possible, but sometimes airlines cancel their own flights a little before this (even with the airport open)
...so I would think that a Sunday flight would be fine....Monday would be pushing it - if the airport closes I would think it would not be until Monday night, but maybe Monday by late afternoon less airlines will want to risk it...

 

[simbrooks]

I would say it is probably safe enough on sunday night. The cane "should" be at least another day to 1.5 days away at that time. Although the forecast picture you will see on the net is usually centred on the eye itself. They say that the hurricane force winds are extending out about 70 miles and i am sure that the tropical storm force winds are at least twice that radius - it is moving at around 13-15knots at the moment, which would translate to around 10 hours lead time from the edge of the tropical storm bands to the eye landfall predicted time - which would make it around lunchtime monday. Take that armchair mereorology as my thoughts, it could move a little quicker, could move a little slower than the forecast. I still think sunday night would be ok, monday morning less so. Can we all hop on the plane too and hightail it out of here??

 

[The Chairman]

You should be fine... but don't hold me to that.

Non lasci l'usura illigetima di uragani voi giù.​

 

[reefman]

you should be okay, however, the airlines are conservative in reguards to tropical systems(air carrier aircraft cost upwards of 50 millon). also, the airports often close early as employees need time to prepare for the approaching hurricane(fll curtailed operations at 1000 last friday, the storm reached the coastline late sat evening!!). have an alternate plan!!! good luck,,,,,,,,,,,

reefman
key largo(air traffic controller @ mia)

 

[Tractor Tom]

Well, I got a call from the fellow I'm dealing with down in Florida yesterday in the morning, and actually got to talk to him in the afternoon. He said with the evacuation of the Keys taking place, it would be very hard to get around South Florida the next few days, and we agreed that I wouldn't fly down. So the trip has been pushed back a couple weeks. I appreciate everyones input and will drop a line when closer to the Oct 1 travel date to see how things are looking.

Just a small sidenote. This hurricane has my daughter really spooked, and she is talking about flying home for the weekend! She rode out the last two, but this one is supposed to bear right down on the Ft. Myers area and with its current Cat4/5 standing, she is considering 'getting out of Dodge".

Thanks again for the help....

 

[Kim]

Well, I got a call from the fellow I'm dealing with down in Florida yesterday in the morning, and actually got to talk to him in the afternoon. He said with the evacuation of the Keys taking place, it would be very hard to get around South Florida the next few days, and we agreed that I wouldn't fly down. So the trip has been pushed back a couple weeks. I appreciate everyones input and will drop a line when closer to the Oct 1 travel date to see how things are looking.

Just a small sidenote. This hurricane has my daughter really spooked, and she is talking about flying home for the weekend! She rode out the last two, but this one is supposed to bear right down on the Ft. Myers area and with its current Cat4/5 standing, she is considering 'getting out of Dodge".

Thanks again for the help....

offer her the ticket - she'll be safe - you'll have her home - sounds like a perfect weekend!!!

 

[CBulla]

Well, I got a call from the fellow I'm dealing with down in Florida yesterday in the morning, and actually got to talk to him in the afternoon. He said with the evacuation of the Keys taking place, it would be very hard to get around South Florida the next few days, and we agreed that I wouldn't fly down. So the trip has been pushed back a couple weeks. I appreciate everyones input and will drop a line when closer to the Oct 1 travel date to see how things are looking.

Just a small sidenote. This hurricane has my daughter really spooked, and she is talking about flying home for the weekend! She rode out the last two, but this one is supposed to bear right down on the Ft. Myers area and with its current Cat4/5 standing, she is considering 'getting out of Dodge".

Thanks again for the help....

A few weeks you may be up for a helicopter tour of the area! I should be back here by then, though, and I'll be happy to hop you up into my jeep and take you on a swamp buggy tour of the aftermath as well.

That side note - my wife is pulling that same rank on me. "We don't have storms like this in MI.. Warren got snow and rain and other stuff, but nothing like these. I'm done, lets go some where a little more safe!"

 

[Tractor Tom]

A few weeks you may be up for a helicopter tour of the area! I should be back here by then, though, and I'll be happy to hop you up into my jeep and take you on a swamp buggy tour of the aftermath as well.

That side note - my wife is pulling that same rank on me. "We don't have storms like this in MI.. Warren got snow and rain and other stuff, but nothing like these. I'm done, lets go some where a little more safe!"

Maybe we can work a 'swap'. I want to move to FLA, and your wife wants to move to MI!

Speaking of jeeps, I'll finish putting the clutch in mine this weekend and get started putting the new winch on if the weather cooperates and I have time on my side....

Thanks!

 

[CBulla]

Maybe we can work a 'swap'. I want to move to FLA, and your wife wants to move to MI!

Speaking of jeeps, I'll finish putting the clutch in mine this weekend and get started putting the new winch on if the weather cooperates and I have time on my side....

Thanks!

If thats an accurate photo for your avatar, errrrr.... I'll keep my wife! However, she does say "YES, I'll move to Frankenmuth, its that much closer to the UP!!" and a whole bunch more stuff about woods and 4 seasons and stuff...

Bring on da jeep!!