Here comes another one! Do you live in Florida? Are you ready for the madness to ensue? Even after Irma is over and done with will your house remain standing? Have you prepared?

On Tuesday afternoon, Carlos Giménez, the mayor of Miami-Dade County, warned residents in some areas that he might call for mandatory evacuations as early as Wednesday.
“This hurricane is far too powerful, poses far too great a threat, for us to delay actions any longer,” he said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference. Residents with special needs will be evacuated on Wednesday, he said.
Coast Guard crew members and helicopters that assisted in rescue missions in southeast Texas for Hurricane Harvey were starting to return to their home stations, including Florida, to prepare for Irma, a Coast Guard spokesman said.
American Airlines announced late Monday that it had canceled several flights on Tuesday between Miami and destinations in the Caribbean.
“For people in South Florida, now is the time to start preparing and getting those hurricane kits in order,” said Chuck Caracozza, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Miami.
If the peak storm surge coincides with high tide, waters may rise 7 to 11 feet above ground in the Virgin Islands and 3 to 5 feet above ground on Puerto Rico’s northern shore. Waves could reach heights of 15 to 20 feet above normal tide levels in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas.

While Hurricane Harvey was plagued by bad city planning, we are sincerely hoping that those in Florida will be able to make their way through Irma in relative safety. No, it is not going to be easy and we do expect there will be disaster after disaster. However, those who are prepared – bought that spare water months ago! – they may make it through this mess with only minor damage.

That, at least, is the hope for this second in a series of crazy natural disasters that are winding their way through and about the USA and our surrounding neighbors!

Source: The New York Times