Charley

Near-term forecast:
( I can see my house from here! )

Hurricane Log

Thursday, August 12th, 8:30 AM

My clock radio goes off with the NPR news, as usual. Charley had been a possible threat before, but one of the first items in the news were that it's forecast to make landfall in Tampa, FL. That sort of set the tone for the day...

Thursday, August 12th, 12:00 PM

Everyone at work has been preoccupied tracking the hurricane, and planning on what to do tomorrow, wondering if the university is going to announce closures. People with homes, especially on the barrier islands, bail to board up their homes as all those areas either are, or are expected to soon be under mandatory evacuation.

Thursday, August 12th, 3:30 PM

The university will be closed on Friday, and only people that have been pre-cleared with the EOC will be allowed on campus in case of emergencies. Gear has been pretty much covered by plastic sheeting, golf cars have been tucked away, and all node doors have been sealed. Meanwhile, just on track, my 2 m radio connector broke off. Emergency repair hears a lot of frantic chatter on the local "official" repeater.
Zones A, B and C are under mandatory evacuation in nearby areas. Storm surges as much as 17 feet for down town are announced as possible. The library's closed prematurely.

Thursday, August 12th, 5:00 PM

One of the last people left on campus. Still fixing some problems before leaving. The atmosphere is definitely tense as people wish each other well and leave to take care of their homes and families.