From everything I am seeing, it looks as if Irma is going to hit Florida, hard. Latest projections and spaghetti models from this morning (0800 EDST) had Irma turning north at the tip of the state, then progressing upward through the center of the state.
THESE MODELS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Over the past couple of days, the models have moved east from the western side of the state. I expect them to move further east. While this gives me greater faith that my home on Florida's west coast may actually survive the next week, the people from the Keys to Jacksonville are in deep kim-chee.
Miami floods when there's a heavy rain. It will certainly sustain major damage from Irma and may become little more than a memory.
It is increasingly difficult for people to evacuate the state. The Interstates are jammed going north. Gas stations are running out of fuel or actually have run out. It is a panic situation all around. There is no bottled water in the markets (Publix shelves were stripped of everything that even looked like bottled water. Home Depot was empty as well.) It's impossible to buy a generator. Plywood is unavailable. Dintymoore Beef Stew and Hormel Chile are nothing more than memories.
My own home and Haz's place are at high points on the Pinellas Peninsula with elevations over 40 feet above sea level. That means we won't see any damage from potential storm surge. So, if the winds don't destroy our houses, we should weather this storm.
Nonetheless, please keep us in your prayers, my friends.
Crusader Rabbit