OT: Hurricane Fay could pass by Tampa Bay...

[Who'sYourData?]

hmmm...i could have a shorten work week as well.  hopefully this storm stays small.  we dont need anothe 100mph+ storm to hit ANYWHERE in the US

I hear that.  It could spell the end of homeowners insurance in Florida. 

[Matt]

ahhh...dont get me started on home owners insurance.  those companies were making MILLIONS for years and years.  now they have 1 year that hit them hard and they are crying poor.

between insurance companies and oil companies.....

nevermind...

[USFishin]

I predict it doesn't come anywhere near Tampa... because the project path line is directed straight through Tampa RIGHT NOW.  Every time the path is supposed to go straight through Tampa it turns way away from here.  Tampa has some kind of hurricane repellant or something.

[Who'sYourData?]

When a hurricane is about two days out, I look at the line where the hurricane is predicted to hit.  That's where I know that it ISN'T going, so I try to figure out whether it is going east or west of the line.  Right now, I'd guess east but Fay is a nightmare to predict.  She's big, sluggish and a liar...wait that's someone else.

Anyway, things should clear up some by morning.  I think Tampa will get some fairly lousy weather, maybe a few tornadoes, and scattered power outages.  At this point I can't imagine a major hurricane, though any hurricane can be pretty serious if it catches you just right.

[JerseyBull06]

Looks like UCF is gonna have to fork up some money.

so they can build another stadium.

with water fountains.

maybe it'll keep chugging through the Gulf and hit one of those "other" schools to the North of us >

Not funny.

they're called jokes because they're not meant seriously, but apologies if you found what I said offensive cause it wasn't meant to be

unfortunately mother nature can be unkind no matter where you live and all joking aside I think as a non-native I take hurricanes more seriously then some other people do. Tampa's had too many hurricanes that "cry wolf" and if we ever were to get hit by a big one I fear that the situation could be much worse because of the many "misses".

as for the homeowner's insurance this couldn't come at a worse time...State Farm is currently petitioning to increase rates state-wide and I'd think a direct hit (or even the possibility of one) on the gulf coast by any storm would only strengthen their case.

[Economics_Nerd82]

[Who'sYourData?]

If the NHC is off track on this projection, they have it too far west.  I'm beginning to expect Fay to reemerge off the NE coast of the state, and try to restrengthen.

Anything is still possible, but it looks like Tampa dodged another bullet.  The poor folks in Punta Gorda aren't having a lot of fun, but this shoudn't be anywhere near the strength of Charley.  Fay will affect most of the state, but in a much less extreme way.

[USFishin]

I'm predicting it heads in at the everglades in S. Florida and heads NE and comes back out somewhere around Daytona/Cocoa Beach.

[theman123]

Could have no school Tuesday.  I just hope it doesn't pick up much strength and stays at a CAT 1.  Or just misses us completely.

But i was watching bay news 9.  barely organized right now.

[deters-]

Im gonna say makes land fall in Ft Myers at CAT 2 strength.