Can the Florida panhandle get a break? They are still cleaning up from Ivan and Dennis. Now they are in Katrina's projected path. I pray for those poor folks.

Tracking farther west so far BUT fill up with gas and be ready.

Yes... hopefully she keeps going further West... all the way to Mexico.

The view from here.....
Wayne, when you said variables, you weren't kidding! Went to bed Thursday night with an iffy tropical storm advisory, wake up Friday in the middle of some serious stormy weather!
We should have known something was up when the Weather Channel went off the cable system Thursday night. Next down was the high speed internet system, so no weatherunderground.com. And all the Miami stations were talking about was Miami. Plus no one around these parts can remember a hurricane turning south. So we all went about our Thursday business as usual. What a difference a day makes. No one saw this one coming, and we all got caught with our pants down, sp to speak. Massive flooding, as I now understand we received between 8 and 10 inches of rain in less than 10 hours. That's quite a bit when you live at sea level. I'm sure you've probably seen the news coverage of Duval street under water. Well, most all of us were. The streets were pretty much impassable until late Friday, and even then only for the hardy. Most major intersections, (all 8 of them ) were blocked by stalled cars, including the one way off the island. Now add to that un-countable numbers of downed trees, telephone poles snapped clean off, and a lack of electricity, (no ice for the cocktails), and it all added up to a miserable couple days in paradise. All from a glancing blow of a Cat 1.
So be wary, folks. It's much bigger now and headed more or less your way.
Stock up on that ice!
Good luck to all.

This is why i said to hold of your vacations until later this month.

Rob

i was just wondering if anyone knew if the roads from fort walton beach flordia were passible my husband is trying to get home and we're not sure if he can get back to memphis from there?

Roads should be passable but do not know the situation all the way concerning gasoline.

We have it here but it was spotty in some places as you get closer to Ala/Miss. Even here there are outages as well at this time. I do not know the long term on this.

Many from the stricken areas are here and are enrolling kids in school, finding jobs and still need our assistance.

Give them all you can and God Bless.

Wait a few weeks because gas is still sparatic and the roads in fort walton beach are ok but you will have to go out of the way to get gas. Your best bet is to stay on the island later this month since gas is usually the cheapest there (oaklossia island)
and keep an eye on the weather!

The condos there are very nice.

If your planning on going to the destin fishing rodeo that's your best bet.

Rob

thank you keith and rob.....i saw on mississippi department of transportation website that the roads are passible at least coming to memphis but not going east on I-10....now all i need to know is can he make it with the gas being like it is? i told him that i think that jackson is outta gas.... but he is being stubborn and said as long as the roads were ok he was comming home...of course he miss the birth of our son because of katrina but thats mostly why he is in a hurry to get back is has been prolonged for too long... he is on the airforce base there in fort walton... he says that he wont let his tank get lower than half a tank....so everyone pray that he can make it and also pray for the refugees..... we have alot of them here and i am glad to see the southern hospitality....... us memphians have really opened our homes to them....

and I just found out today there is not a single shred of gas to be found. Between here and panama city.

also one piece of advice the hotels will be packing from the people in new orleans. Check out places like Beacon Resorts. (do a google search) There on Oaklossia Island.

Rob

thanks for the update Rob!

My wife got gas yesterday, my cousins on Monday night and I filled up today BUT there are few places and lines are there. Lines not too long for any of us though. More out of the way places seem to have it or you hit when the tanker pulls up.

STILL have not heard how long or what the big picture here is on gas.

I think that a MUCH better job can be done on this type of communciation.

Ok he made it here Monday night..... He only had 75 dollars for gas from Fort Walton to Memphis but he made it just fine...... He got gas in Destin before he left because Fort Walton was out.... But he made it... Thank you all for your advice and information.....

thanks for the update! glad to hear he made it. :)

Not to be a barrer but stay away from destin single reson is everything is double the price because of the tourist trap status it has. Unless you've got money to burn, I'd suggest you all stay on oaklossia island. gas is the cheapest there and your helping our "economy" as well (stay away from the cheap motels/regular hotels..stay at a condo down there)

Rob