If you have been following our life over the past…well, at least the past 10 years that we’ve lived on the road, you will know that where trouble is, we tend to already be planted in the middle of it. We arrive in Israel in time for the millenium and the start of the Intifada. We leave Israel as Arafat dies in France. And no matter where we go, extreme weather follows us.
Hurricane Dennis is on our way to meet us. Weather Underground, an informational packed weather-oriented website, projects the computer model of the “statistical path” of Hurricane Dennis. According to five different computer models, four say that we are directly in the path of the Hurricane (arrow). A fifth one projects it will veer to the west, slamming into New Orleans. Landfall along the Gulf Coast is slated for Sunday, Monday at the latest.
Currently, winds are ranging from 115 to gusts of 140, but Dennis is expected to speed up and get meaner by the time it reaches open sea again. Florida’s west coast is going to take a beating, but the Gulf Coast is going to get the full brunt of the storm.
Four Atlantic weather systems — Arlene, Bret, Cindy and Dennis — reached Tropical Storm status by July 5, the earliest for so many named storms in recorded history. If Dennis makes U.S. landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, it will be the first July storm of that strength to hit the United States since 1936.
The Weather Channel
Here is what we know and what we are planning. This is all subject to change.
Brent filled up both gas tanks and checked the truck out as best as he could tonight. He also stopped to pick up some basic stuff at WalMart and says it was like Christmas. Everyone was there shopping and the lines were incredibly long. Stuff was coming off the shelf faster than they could stock it. So much for taking the calm approach.
I will get the trailer ready for moving during the day tomorrow. By tomorrow night we will have made a decision to stay or go. Brent thinks he will be going with me and the trailer, but his office is also making plans for setting up a temporary office in Memphis or somewhere away from the coast to keep the business going during the hurricane. He’s not sure if he’s going with them or with me.
Everyone is asking me “where are you going”. My answer is “away”. Currently, heading towards Texas or up to Oklahoma is a possiblity. North is out. The storm will also head north, bringing tornados and all kinds of weather that I want to avoid. So west looks to be the best option. There is also the chance that the storm could shift and move towards Texas, or Florida for that matter, but I’m voting for “away” and that’s the best I can do.
Luckily, I’ll be traveling with my house on my back, so finding a place to stay is the least of my concerns, unlike millions of others driven from the area by the storm.
As soon as I know, I’ll post it here, and email who I can. I’m still recovering from three hard drive crashes on two computers over the past three weeks (another new record) and so I don’t have all my email set up yet. The fun just never ends.