Hurricane Matthew threatens Jacksonville, heads north

Posted by | October 6, 2016 10:05 | Filed under: Planet

Over 20,000 Without Power in Florida on Thursday NightNY Times: Over 300 dead in Haiti

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UPDATE 4pmEDT – As Hurricane Matthew heads north along the east coast off Florida, Jacksonville faces flooding from the storm surge:

The hurricane stayed just far enough offshore to spare Central Florida a direct hit, and it weakened slightly overnight, but it was still a powerful Category 3 storm with winds of about 115 miles per hour.

The storm was blamed for the deaths of more than 800 people in Haiti, according to a Reuters report based on information from civil protection and local officials.

Jacksonville is by far the largest population center in the hurricane’s path, with 868,000 people living in the city and almost 1.6 million in the metropolitan area.

UPDATE: 8:30amEDT – As Hurricane Matthew hugs the coast and heads north along the Florida east coast, the first fatality is being reported:

A 58-year-old woman died from cardiac arrest in her Port St. Lucie home, officials told WPTV.

While she did not live on the area’s barrier islands — the region considered most susceptible to the hurricane’s fury — medical crews could not respond to her calls for help because of the storm.

While the powerful storm was downgraded from a catastrophic Category 4 to a less-severe Category 3 early Friday, it still pummeled Vero Beach before dawn with sweeping winds, up to 120 mph just off the shore.

UPDATE, Oct. 6, 8:55pmEDT – The National Weather Service is issuing a dire warning:

“Extremely dangerous, life-threatening weather conditions are forecast in the next 24 hours,” the National Weather Service warned Thursday afternoon. “Airborne debris lofted by extreme winds will be capable of breaching structures, unprotected windows and vehicles.”

Residents were streaming away from coastal regions, jamming highways, after Gov. Rick Scott of Florida told 1.5 million people living in evacuation zones: “You need to leave. Evacuate, evacuate, evacuate.”

Gov. Scott has activated 3500 members of the National Guard.

UPDATE 2:10pmEDT – from Reuters:

President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Florida as Hurricane Matthew strengthened and headed for the U.S. Southeast, the White House said on Thursday.

The action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts necessitated by the storm, a Category 4 hurricane packing winds of 140 mph (220 kph).

10:05amEDT The Weather Channel is not mincing words:

Hurricane Matthew is bearing down on the northwest Bahamas, is expected to be a rare Category 4 hurricane strike on the Florida East Coast tonight into Friday, and will bring destructive hurricane conditions to the Georgia and much of the coastal Carolinas into the weekend.

Hurricane warnings have been extended northward to St. Simons Island and Brunswick, Georgia. This includes Orlando and Jacksonville, Florida.

Hurricane watches have been extended to just north of Charleston, South Carolina. This includes Savannah, Georgia and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

A hurricane warning remains in effect along the entire east coast of Florida, as well as the central and northwest Bahamas.

All preparations in the eastern Florida peninsula should be rushed to completion.

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Copyright 2016 Liberaland
By: dave-dr-gonzo

David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.

* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.

105 responses to Hurricane Matthew threatens Jacksonville, heads north

  1. anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 10:33

    Mandatory evacuations.

    How does someone drop everything and just get out?

    And then when you leave the traffic is backed up for states?

    I tell you the truth and I know this sounds stupid but I think I would sit it out and hope for the best.

    Or maybe not, but it would be a tough decision to just leave all my $hit behind.

    If you live on the coast like that you better have a way to move your $hit……fast.

    • eyelashviper October 6th, 2016 at 10:43

      Local officials have been announcing evacuations for coastal areas in Florida for days now. Most people who live in such areas should have a clue about the need to get out, and during hurricane season keep an eye on storms. It is a way of life here in Florida, and there is plenty of information available to keep people informed.
      It gets tough to evacuate large populated areas and Charleston has had traffic backup the past few days, but they don’t last. Jax is a big area, so hope that all the coastal areas have been evacuated by now.
      A cat 4 hurricane is devastating, can tear apart buildings, and a storm surge can inundate coastal areas. We had friends who had homes on the barrier islands in Mississippi, all on stilts, well built, and after the storm surge of Katrina, the homes were completely gone.
      I am inland, but still will get some very serious weather. Katrina caused serious damage 100 miles inland, trees down, buildings badly damaged.
      This storm is the worst I have ever seen in Florida, and the potential damage is just horrifying.

      • anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 10:47

        Oh Brother!

        What a mess. Are you eyelashviper evacuating then? Or have evacuated on other times?

        I just can’t imagine how awful that would be. Talk about stress. Not only what is going to happen to your house but what will happen to people that stay behind.

        Good luck to you anyway.

        • eyelashviper October 6th, 2016 at 10:53

          We are on high ground, no danger of flooding, and no hurricane force winds are due here, just TS winds. We have animals, horses, dogs, etc, so need to take care of them. Our biggest concern is trees down and causing damage to buildings, fence, or animals. Being without power is tough, as we have a well, so have many big containers filled with water for necessities. The worst part of the aftermath often is just not knowing how bad it all is and when power will be back, etc. After Hermine, we were without power and phone for days, but cell phone worked.
          It is stressful, but then I think of people in earthquake and massive tornado zones, and this at least can be prepared for.
          Sigh, it’s the price we pay for our glorious winter weather…

          • anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 11:00

            Well? Again good luck to you and Mike and all the good people down in Florida.

            And I know what you mean about “glorious winter weather”!

          • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 11:20

            After the double whammy of Francis and Gene we lost power for 23 days … it was like living in the stone age.

  2. Mike October 6th, 2016 at 10:43

    We really have nowhere to go…everyone we know lives in the zone. Luckily, our house is like a concrete fortress with shutters and safety glass, but we’re right on the beach maybe 600 yds from the water … I’m worried about the roof and the surge …I’ll tell you what happens tomorrow.

    • eyelashviper October 6th, 2016 at 10:46

      Good luck, you may be below some of the worst of it, hope so for your sake. The storm surges for the mid and north coast look bad, but your area is likely different.
      We expect pretty bad damage here, even though we are inland, and am afraid that we might be without power for a long time, as we are rural and are the last to get power back when there is a big outage.

      • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 11:10

        That’s what we’re thinking too…let’s hope we’re right…

      • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 11:16

        Inland can be just as bad or worse because of uprooted trees and flooding. Most people can’t imagine what 10 inches of rain at 50 MPH does to anything higher than 3′
        Good luck, and stay safe, I think the north is gonna get hit worse than us.

        • Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2016 at 11:27

          I grew up in a place (Arizona) that never gets close to ten inches of rain in a whole year. I can’t fathom that much rain from a single storm.

          • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 11:31

            The prediction for the coast is 20-24 inches (in about a 5 hour onslaught)
            We drain way faster than Arizona, 10 inches is not uncommon with many TS’s

            • Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2016 at 11:34

              Arizona drains very fast. When there is a heavy rain, all the water collects in the streets, and runs into a wash, (a usually dry river bed) and within a couple of hours the water is all gone. That usually happens during monsoon season in August. Not a lot of standing water is left, because the ground is so dry.

        • eyelashviper October 6th, 2016 at 12:12

          We have huge oaks all over our property, next to the house and barn, so it is worrisome.
          Jeanne and Frances lingered here for days, dumping massive amounts of water and bringing down trees, and Hermine brought down trees everywhere, even though it was just a TS in our area, with little rain.
          Be safe…

      • Jeanne173 October 6th, 2016 at 11:58

        Good luck to you, hope you’re a sort of a prepper.

        • eyelashviper October 6th, 2016 at 12:04

          Many decades in Florida, always have an eye on the tropics during the warm months…
          Thanks for the good wishes, we are prepared for some real nastiness…

    • anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 10:51

      Mike…..GOOD Luck to you.

      I hope that “concrete house” can hold up. That is something I would do. Have a house that can withstand 150 mph winds.

      I would also have a trailer that I could throw all my $hit into and get the hell out of there, maybe.

      It is actually hard to say what I would do unless I actually faced it.

      • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 11:12

        And go where…? It’s madness out there.
        We’re gonna find out if modern engineering is worth a crap or not…

        • StoneyCurtisll October 6th, 2016 at 12:27

          Keep your heads down…
          And your ammo dry…:)

      • Mike October 7th, 2016 at 11:06

        House stood up like a champ…never even lost power.
        Looks like zero damage other than some fronds and crap blowing around…the surge never made it to the sea grapes.
        I hope everyone is as lucky as we were.

        • anothertoothpick October 7th, 2016 at 12:25

          That is good to hear Mike

          Ya just can’t beat go old-fashion steel reinforced concrete.

          It looks like you made the right decision to shelter in place

          What’s it look like east of you?

          • Mike October 7th, 2016 at 14:53

            The ocean looks muddy, not it’s regular blue.

    • Jeanne173 October 6th, 2016 at 11:21

      Good luck to you. It would be helpful if there was a good Samarian system where strangers would be willing to give shelter, in their homes, to a family in an event such as this. I know I would do this. Sadly I’m in Pa. and that quite a drive for you. Pets always welcome also. My cats wouldn’t even mind, well not too much. Why doesn’t Florida have a program like this?

      • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 11:25

        It does in an informal way…lots of hurricane parties at inland houses are open to any in need. People come together the closer the storm gets. We could go a mile in to a friend’s but we have dogs and a cat … we don’t travel light.

        • Jeanne173 October 6th, 2016 at 11:30

          I see your point, I wouldn’t leave my fur kids either. Stay safe.

          • StoneyCurtisll October 6th, 2016 at 12:26

            “fur kids”…(I love it)

        • amongoose October 6th, 2016 at 13:36

          My cur dog is my ears, eyes, and IFF, and generally has a better sense of judging people than I do.

    • Roctuna October 6th, 2016 at 11:25

      The National Hurricane Center is predicting a surge tide of 9 feet on the south Florida coast. If you’re that close to the beach you’re going to get flooded. The old saying “Hide from wind, run from water” certainly applies. I’m sure I can speak for all here that we’ll be worried about you and all your neighbors.

      • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 11:27

        We’ll see how accurate that is…our front door is 19 feet above sea level…
        Every neighbor within 10 houses is staying, so we won’t be alone.

        • Roctuna October 6th, 2016 at 11:40

          That 10 feet could make all the difference. Good luck to you.

        • amongoose October 6th, 2016 at 13:34

          Are your utilities there above or as (here in Tampa) underground?
          They were looking at the loss of all underground systems in the Tampa area.
          The stuff above ground will be descended on by utility crews from everywhere as soon as the winds drop to 40 mph.
          It’s the below ground that would be out for a considerable amount of time.

          • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 14:19

            The island has both but we’re underground.

            • amongoose October 6th, 2016 at 16:51

              Problem with the surge is that it fills those line casings with corrosive salt water, they have to be purged.
              they estimated a three to six weeks job here.

    • StoneyCurtisll October 6th, 2016 at 12:22

      Please ..
      keep us posted..
      And above all, be safe.

    • amongoose October 6th, 2016 at 13:31

      We live on a peninsula in hurricane alley. At least we are better prepared for them, little help as that is.
      Waitin ta hear yer safe.

      • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 14:26

        Right now it looks like we’re only gonna get clipped with 90 to 100 mph wind … north of me looks like where it will be worst…. Melbourne and above.

        • amongoose October 6th, 2016 at 16:53

          Only 80 – 100 mph winds, spoken like a true Floridian.
          Wish ya would head inland though.

  3. anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 11:04

    This thing blew through Cuba and Haiti like they weren’t even there.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5e6234551f3b5e32417ba2ba4c650684d6bc3bfadb383507a7b287fb453c5bb9.jpg

  4. oldfart October 6th, 2016 at 11:31

    I have family in Orlando.
    Best of luck to all of you folks.

    • anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 11:52

      Orlando? I hope they evacuated.

      why don’t the cops open up the inbound lanes on the highway to outbound only traffic? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/46cec37dc7e3f5a38a20783fb963775991d6f27d53c8a3b18efea8e2835fcd83.jpg

      • eyelashviper October 6th, 2016 at 11:55

        They always do, and there is likely going to be some panic today, as this news hits home for many who are not on the coast.
        If you notice the track above, and the latest update is even scarier…the hurricane is looping back and headed toward Florida early next week.

      • oldfart October 6th, 2016 at 12:21

        This hurricane is a monster in size. My SIL has family in Georgia.
        don’t know if they hunkering down or leaving, they haven’t called yet.

      • amongoose October 6th, 2016 at 13:28

        Good report on it. If Y’all are over thar, git out.
        I’m on tha west coast we’ll get rain, lots of it.
        Put tin a line in tha prayer list for ya.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDDVJj1Pay8&feature=youtu.be

      • robert October 6th, 2016 at 14:06

        Better hope they are right that this hurricane goes back out to sea or up the coastline

  5. Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2016 at 11:59

    At one grocery store, someone tweeted a picture of shelves bare of everything but several cans of clam chowder. “South Florida wants to survive #HurricaneMatthew. But we’d rather die than eat clam chowder.” I would have bought all of them. I love me some chowdah.

    • anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 12:02

      Did they show the shelves of any Liqour stores?

      • StoneyCurtisll October 6th, 2016 at 12:21

        Good question~!

      • Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2016 at 12:23

        Nothing to see here, move along.

      • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 13:08

        I think Palm Beach Co closed all non essential stores this morning … if you didn’t stock up you’re gonna have to ride this baby sober

      • pinballsdoll October 6th, 2016 at 13:53

        they are picked over….good thing I got mine Tuedsay night

        • anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 15:04

          Where you at pinball??

          • pinballsdoll October 6th, 2016 at 16:18

            I live in Atlantic Beach FL….I’m staying in Jacksonville for the storm

            • Suzanne McFly October 6th, 2016 at 17:15

              That is where I lived for a while. I called some of my friends and contacted some others and no one is leaving from what I understand, I hope they change their minds. Stay safe.

              • pinballsdoll October 6th, 2016 at 18:46

                Thanx……i am really thankful I had someone to stay with away from the beach

                • Suzanne McFly October 6th, 2016 at 18:55

                  One of my friends was living by the beach but now she is living in the Riverside area in a brick house. I think she will be fine.

    • Hirightnow October 6th, 2016 at 14:58

      Clam chowder?!?! WHERE??? HOW MUCH?!?!?!!!?
      (searches ebay for the going rate on mothers…)

      • Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2016 at 15:16

        Calm down, it was only canned. Believe it or not, some of the best chowder I ever had was years ago, we dug some clams from the Colorado River at Yuma, and made chowder from them. Turned out really good.

  6. anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 12:01

    There are two nukes in harms way in Florida alone.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2c73d15d035662f3d6c7f1be7b0fec7977b26661fa66df23bcbe1feac90d3635.png

  7. anothertoothpick October 6th, 2016 at 12:35

    Right now there are people standing on the beach taking selfies.

    Don’t they know that Matthew has been scooping up debris from the ocean and from Cuba and Haiti.

    Everything from used toilets to crushed two

    by fours are traveling at 150 ,mph in the middle of the storm.

    Wake up

    people! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0ceed6bf8a96e4fd0d074e8d7e721f2727743873c8b2b479749e8d1eaad2921e.jpg

    • Larry Schmitt October 6th, 2016 at 12:39

      Some people are clueless.

  8. Hirightnow October 6th, 2016 at 14:54

    Welp, I’m screwed,I guess.
    (There is No gasoline and NO ice in Titusville as of right now,,,thinking of pre-emptively eating the neighbors,just not sure how to phrase my excuse)

    • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 15:53

      Start with the little ones first, they’re tender and tasty

      Good luck up there, it looks like you’re getting the worst of it tonight and tomorrow.

      • Hirightnow October 6th, 2016 at 17:29

        Damn. all my neighbors are seniors.

        • bpollen October 7th, 2016 at 02:57

          Then stock up on meat tenderizer.

  9. Guy Lauten October 6th, 2016 at 18:01

    And remember, this has NOTHING to do with man-made climate change (Uncle Ricky would be VERY mad at me if he knew I said those words). Nothing at all…

  10. crc3 October 6th, 2016 at 18:28

    Things are looking better by the hour for Ft Lauderdale and Miami. Wind and rain so far have been much lower than earlier predicted. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping Palm Beach catches a break….

    • Gina Bousquet October 6th, 2016 at 18:54

      I’m so glad to know it! Stay safe crc3!

    • Mike October 6th, 2016 at 19:19

      The good news … It looks like we (So FL) dodged the bullet this time
      The bad news … The Treasure Coast, Daytona, and Jax , are in for a pounding.

      • Gina Bousquet October 6th, 2016 at 19:35

        I’m happy for you Mike, we were worried you had stayed…

        • Mike October 7th, 2016 at 05:11

          Thx, for the thoughts … our home is fairly new and built like a fortress… all concrete, safety glass, shutters, with a tile roof. It would take a direct hit from a Cat 5 to shake us up.
          I think the max we saw was 80-90 gusts, not even sustained.
          So far the state has been lucking out with every forecast

          • Gina Bousquet October 7th, 2016 at 08:36

            That’s very good! :)

      • crc3 October 6th, 2016 at 20:13

        Orlando has been getting a lot of squalls also. Disney closed their parks at 5 PM…

      • Hirightnow October 6th, 2016 at 20:15

        Just a lot of rain here in Titusville, so far.

  11. Roctuna October 6th, 2016 at 19:01

    Obviously the President plans to turn Florida into one large Fema camp run by death panels.

    • Mike October 7th, 2016 at 11:00

      Let’s see… large number of TeaBaggers surrounded on 3 sides by water filled with sharks, gators and deadly snakes in the middle, and a hurricane every now and again to clear out the dead bodies and stench….check, check, and check…we’re already a FEMA camp…thx Obama.

  12. Hirightnow October 6th, 2016 at 20:14

    I guess this means that, for Republicans at least, everything’s fine in Florida.

  13. StoneyCurtisll October 6th, 2016 at 20:28

    Key word..Florida…
    In all honesty, I hope for the best for everyone who lives in the danger zone…
    Either get the fugg out, or keep your heads down…
    My best hopes and wishes are with you…

  14. William October 6th, 2016 at 21:32

    Is there a lot of gay people in Florida? I mean why else would the almighty want to smite the living sh*t out of the place?
    Pat Robertson. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e04afbe2fa9e1bd1e8b3a52143df4f3f73c951dfc24970bd2e967aae38521375.jpg

    • whatthe46 October 6th, 2016 at 21:52

      you know this pos won’t let anyone register to vote now, he says they had time. wow, takes floriduh to fk sh!t up.

    • robert October 7th, 2016 at 07:43

      P R lost his mind many years ago. He only eats baby food and doesn’t want to be disturbed

    • granpa.usthai October 7th, 2016 at 10:11

      not so much disrespecting an old charlatan like Patrick as it is location, location, location. Besides, if the people of Florida would just be obedient to one who is fully qualified to be a:
      PROPHET
      OF
      GOD

      (sun will rise in the east and set in the west) and simply capture rush limbaugh in an out of control crowd of fearful fury, smear him with chum and throw his fat ass out in the middle of shark infested waters, it might help to relocate the state of Florida out of harm’s way. It sure as hell ain’t going to cause any problems to try.

  15. Mike October 7th, 2016 at 05:21

    So far this baby has been a bust ( thankfully ) for Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. More good news just now for Melbourne and Titusville… it’s still moving more north than west…we couldn’t have asked for a better scenario than this

    Fingers crossed

    • anothertoothpick October 7th, 2016 at 06:29

      Hey Mike!

      It’s good to see ya Huston😘

    • Gina Bousquet October 7th, 2016 at 08:08

      That’s wonderful Mike! Happy Friday! :)

    • eyelashviper October 7th, 2016 at 08:24

      Such a relief for everyone on the coast. It still will be damaging,but not devastating, as that eyewall is off the coast.
      Still quiet here, some rain and gusts, but expect more later today.
      Glad you fared well.

      • Mike October 7th, 2016 at 10:53

        A total non event … we never even lost power.
        Hope you do as well.

        • eyelashviper October 7th, 2016 at 11:14

          Beginning to gust here, little rain so far. I have been watching the outage website page of my power company…went from 1200 earlier to 15,000 now, most in the eastern areas, closer to the coast, but some in my area also.
          Keeping fingers crossed.

    • Jeanne173 October 7th, 2016 at 10:28

      I’m so happy for you and all our Florida cyber friends. I did stay up late watching TWC, So glad you and yours are safe.

  16. crc3 October 7th, 2016 at 10:09

    So tired of seeing Ricky Scott on the tv…

    http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/661046/15076149/1321000902607/poltergeist2-jbeck20.jpg?token=6GkpwZthlzyBMnaQFDWHiCNOb1M%3D

  17. crc3 October 7th, 2016 at 18:21

    So far 900+ deaths in Haiti. None of us know what true misery means…

    • anothertoothpick October 7th, 2016 at 19:45

      Haiti sure does..

      • crc3 October 7th, 2016 at 23:01

        They never recovered from that earthquake. It just never gets better for them….

  18. William October 7th, 2016 at 20:29

    I went to school in Jax. I hope jax liquor is ok.

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