Downgraded to a 3… take the water with you

 I am writing this on my phone at the moment with my Magic Keyboard because I did not want to run back up stairs and get my laptop (the keyboard isn’t a touch model. It is the model below). 

As of 5:11pm, things are starting to turn. Milton has now become a Category 3 storm and “taking the more northerly track”, which means he is on his way toward Sarasota and Tampa still, not Southwest Florida. There will still be “powerful winds until it makes lane up”. They “will increase”. The eye wall is “missing some of the rain and thunderstorm. That is a sign that the storm has some weaknesses in it. […] It will still impact the other side of the state, but this is not symmetrical anymore. It does not do us any favors with impact because the wind increases”, says the news. I kind of tried to go along as they were talking, but it is hard to keep up. I could not get it all through my head quick enough to type out. 

“It is about 80 miles away from Florida” and is still 82 degrees out. “The surge is beginning. The water is coming in”. The beach is already under water. 

5:15 - News says “local government is now saying everyone needs to shelter in place. From this moment on, people need to stay inside. It is now at the point where people should not be outside. Local government is saying people should be indoors. It is not the time to go take videos or walks. Be inside and away from windows”.

Tide is rising. Beachcam shows Estero Blvd is flooded. Times Square, FMB is under water. 

Storm surge for tomorrow (per news):

6am: Very high

9am: Very high

12pm: High

3pm: Medium

6pm: Low

High tide is on the way for Marco Island, They don’t want to see that because we are just starting with the water. 

They still think the forecast for us is 8 to 12 feet. Naples to Marco, 5 to 8 feet. Port Charlotte up is 9-13 feet. 

5pm northeasternly motion will continue tonight. They are watching the threat to “take it off the table” for some places north of me, but it “is not done growing and will push more water into our region”. The cone is now showing impact is Tampa / Tampa Bay Area.

The wind is picking up here. The beach is getting a “slow and study rise of water”. The water is getting angry. 

The Sanibel Causeway is almost touching more water. Sanibel is shut down. Curfew is in place on the island. 

Roads “are starting to flood near Coconut Point in Estero”. There is already an accident near there because someone hit a downed wire / pole and skidded out.

The Pink Shell Resort on the beach is under water to the point that the pool and the ocean are one and the same. The Naples Pier is having water rushing under the pier. Marco Island beach area (Might be the Marriott based on the webcam) has water up past the cabanas. Matlacha has a lot of damage from the tornados. Down power poles, roofs blown off. 

We are wondering now what is going to happen to us. We are still trying to stay positive; we don’t want the water. Let it find a way to get somewhere else or stop and turn around.

“Turn back, Milton. Turn back before it’s too late”

Okay, so I redid a line from the movie Labyrinth, but you get the point. 

There’s a mini golf at the intersection of San Carlos and the police are already there. The end of San Carlos that goes to the Beach is already flooding out, so they want to make sure anyone that is currently out, does not travel that way. They must turn around and go somewhere else, but they also shouldn’t be out. 

There is still a chance of dry air that could come in and help dissipate the eye wall more and the storm more. Per the news. 

The waves are rushing over the Naples Pier now, and it’s 5:40. The winds are picking up. Full areas on the beach are getting flooded right now. People are sending Ring Cam footage to the news. 

News says they officially pulled their news crew off the street. People must shelter in place. This is it. 

The wind is definitely picking up. I don’t know how much longer we will have power. 

The reporter right now is eating her dinner on air. It’s been that long of a week already, that they haven’t really left for more than an hour or two, 

Ugh.. I don’t know, Hopefully this ends quickly and we don’t get the water. No one needs it, but those more on the coast are susceptible to it. They just keep rebuilding. It’s tough. 

I need to plug my phone in while we have power. I’ll try to add when I can (again). I might do what I did for Ian and hand write so then I can do other updates. 

Be safe and dry

Cheers;