Hurricane Isabel is a possible problem for us....

[normmo]

Thank you so much Mike! I am from Canada so I'm not use to reading about hurricanes and understanding all the jargon associated with them (now humidex and windchill is something I know about). It's nice to hear things in "plain english" so that even I can understand. lol Here's hoping the hurricane goes out to sea without any damage and my Disney trip isn't a washout.
Mo

 

[dvcgirl]

Thanks Mike! I'm definitely going to check out your website. I'll be watching Isabel for sure!

 

[monica1579]

OH no !! I am leaving the 20th and its my first time to Disney. Lets all hope the storm stays out to sea !!

 

[Honeybunches1994]

Okay, I have to say that I am a little worried about this storm!!! I will be fine with rain but that's all I care to have. My husband would probably never go to WDW again if a hurricane came and closed the park while we were there. Even if it misses the FL coast, we will be driving from SC on the 19th!!! Oh well, there's nothing we can do about it.....See you there....We'll be the ones wearing the rain gear!!!!

 

[reldridge]

Greetings to all!! We live in NC, but we will be arriving @ WL on
9-26. I really hope that the hurricane does not come to NC, because we've had enough of them over the years. But, how about yall make sure this thing leaves before we get to WDW.

 

[zillow]

We'll this would be fitting...We'll be at the VWL from the 21st to the 27th and my daughter's name is Isabelle. I hope this Isabel stays away - I can just imagine the airport mess if it doesn't.

 

[Ted and Holly]

Well, Holly and I have just the opposite problem. We are LEAVING the WDW area on Sept. 21 and returning Sept. 26. I sure hope Isabel changes her mind!

Ted

 

[frndofpooh]

We're traveling from Hilton Head, SC to WDW on September 21, and staying at WDW until September 26. If the roads and parks are open, it will take more than a Category 4 hurricane to keep us away!

 

[Cleokitty]

Thanks Mike--I guess.

We live in NC. We're headed to Orlando from 9/14-/9/23 so not only do we have to wonder if our trip will be a washout, but we also have to wonder if our home and pets will have to weather a storm without us.

We lived through Fran in 1996--tornado touchdown in the back yard, 9 days with no power, no water, no phone and huge trees blocking every road--and we live in central NC!! We don't ever want to re-visit that scenario.

On the bright side, at least we bought passes this year instead of the package so if the parks are a complete wash-out, we can come back later in the year. And, usually the days following a hurricane have some of the most beautiful weather!

Here's (unrealistically) hoping Isabel never makes landfall anywhere! And if she does make landfall in central FL, I'll be the one floating through the air with my umbrella asking where to find Cinderella!

 

[alvernon90]

Well, I wouldn't worry too much about it hitting central Florida directly. At this point it doesn't seem too likely that it will make landfall in the U.S. at all (though things could change next week). On the other hand, severe rain seems unavoidable at some point around Sept. 18-25. I just hope it's not a washout the entire time.

 

[Golter]

Here is latest from National Hurrican Center

http://files.hurricanealley.net/storms/13L.html

Florida is a possibility....

 

[zuzanne]

Here is another good site to track Isabel. www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/ at200313_5day.html

We leave for Freeport, Grand Bahama on the Discovery Cruise Ship for a week on the Island Sept. 26th, I sure hope the storm goes North & East and misses the Islands and the US Mainland. Since I live in South Florida, we could get hit not only on the Island but at home also. Talk about a double whammy...LOL

I think it is time to do the Go Away Isabel Dance...

 

[GeekChic]

Thank you so much Mike for your post! Will definitely check out your website, please let us know if anything new happens we need to know about won't you?

Thanks again!

Originally posted by HurricaneWarning
Hello everyone,

I'm Mike Welch and I run a tropical weather site at HurricaneWarning.net and I invite all to check out the map and advisories on hurricane Isabel and also the live Storm Chat. Isabel is going to start to take a more westerly movement soon and forecast have her taking a NWN curve and be North of Puerto Rico on Sunday eve. That is about as far as the forecast go for now. Storms at this location at this time tend to make a curve toward the East coast. IMO I would keep an eye out if I lived in the Carolina's.

I wish you all a safe trip to WDW whatever this hurricane does.

Be safe,
Mike W

 

[HurricaneWarning]

Originally posted by alvernon90
Well, I wouldn't worry too much about it hitting central Florida directly. At this point it doesn't seem too likely that it will make landfall in the U.S. at all (though things could change next week). On the other hand, severe rain seems unavoidable at some point around Sept. 18-25. I just hope it's not a washout the entire time.

It is to early to tell that right now. However I do think WDW should be in the clear the way things look now.

FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER:
ISABEL IS MOVING WESTWARD ABOUT 9 KNOTS EMBEDDED WITHIN A DEEP LAYER
EASTERLY FLOW SOUTH OF A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE. THIS RIDGE IS
FORECAST TO PERSIST FORCING ISABEL TO MOVE ON A GENERAL WESTWARD
TRACK. BECAUSE THE RIDGE SHOULD BEGIN TO TEMPORARELY
WEAKEN...ISABEL COULD TURN MORE TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST IN ABOUT 24
TO 36 HOURS. GLOBAL MODELS ARE CLUSTERED AND THEY ALL SUGGEST A
WEST-NORTHWEST TURN...BRINGING THE CORE OF ISABEL PARALLEL AND JUST
TO THE NORTH OF THE BAHAMAS. IN FACT THE GFS...NO LONGER BRINGS
ISABEL STRAIGHT WESTWARD AS IN PREVIOUS RUNS AND THE GFDL...WHICH
HAS BEEN PERFORMING QUITE WELL SO FAR...HAS SHIFTED THE TRACK
SLIGHTLY NORTHWARD.

NOTE: ALL MODELS RE-DEVELOP A RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC JUST
OFF THE U.S. EAST COAST IN ABOUT 5 DAYS. THE STRENGTH AND LOCATION
OF THIS RIDGE WILL BE CRITICAL IN DETERMINING HOW CLOSE ISABEL WILL
GET TO THE UNITED STATES EAST COAST.

Like I said it is still to early to tell...just anyone on the east coast keep their eyes on this one.

Be safe,
Mike w.

Isabel info HurricaneWarning.net

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Originally posted by apirateslifeforme
Does anyone remember Hurricane Floyd in Sept. 1999?......
The next day, when we were at the laundromat, the newscasters were saying that the Orlando airport closed 1/2 an hour after we left, and that Disney World actually closed down! I felt so sorry for the people we met at the hotel who had just arrived the day before we left.

Yep....we were there for Floyd! We were staying at OKW and I have to say they were very prepared for the storm. We kept getting printed updates on the storm that they slid under our door. When the storm was close, they closed the parks down, I think it around 12:00 noon. We went back to the room and there was a flashlight and some candles waiting for us, and instructions on what to do (fill the tub with water, etc.)

Thankfully the storm didn't hit...the parks reopened a little late the next day and we didn't have to use up another day on our park passes, they let us go through without swiping!

Stuff like that -- and kids getting sick -- is why I usually add an extra day or two onto our trips. You never know what's gonna happen.

 

[dvcgirl]

When do you think we'll know for sure Mike? By Sunday? I guess it all depends on whether or not Isabel starts to make that turn to the northwest? Then who gets hit....The Carolinas?

If it does hit the Carolinas, when would it hit? Thursday or Friday?

Here's hoping it still goes out to sea! And thanks for your guidance Mike!

 

[frndofpooh]

Thank you for your posts, Mike. I have visited hurricanewarning.net, and I find it to be a very informative and user-friendly site. We are preparing for our trip to WDW on September 21, and I'm watching Isabel closely.

NYDisneyMom, we also will be staying at OKW. When you were there for Floyd, did they do anything in particular to prepare the resort other than providing flashlights and candles? Was there any information about what to do or where to go in the event of a problem? Were there any extra activities available at the resorts when the parks were closed?

Your post about providing flashlights reminded me of our stay for the millenium on Decemebr 31, 1999. With everyone concerned about Y2K, we returned to our resort from the parks that day to find flashlights in every room. Needless to say, there was nothing at all to worry about. Let's hope that the same applies to Isabel!

 

[northwds]

Taking a quick trip to Tampa to visit my sister and her family. Flying out of Bangor, ME on the 18th. This will be my hubby's first opportunity to meet my sister's husband and new son. She has a weekend trip planned to WDW for 9/19 - 21. I'm just a little worried about flying on Thursday. I am sure that we will have a great time when we get there. We have a Disney trip planned with our best friends for 11/2 -11/9. They want to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with the Mouse. So even if we have to cancel WDW this trip I will see the Mouse this year.

Oh, I am in Virginia now and have to fly home to Bangor on the 16th. Wonder if that will be a problem? Here's to a hurricane at sea!!

 

[astraltravel]

We are leaving tomorrow for nine days no matter what. My feeling is that we are going to be ok. We are going to WDW! How can that not be ok?

 

[C.Ann]

Based on past Disney response, it would have to be a VERY powerful hurricane - with VERY high probability of it causing severe damage (or unsafe conditions) for them to close the parks..

However, you could face torrential downpours so this is my advice to all who are going during that time frame.. You might want to visit your local Dollar store where they have disposable rain ponchos two for a dollar.. Buy yourself a minimum of 2 per day (per person) and then if the rain starts and stops you can just toss the wet one in the garbage rather than trying to fold up a wet pnocho to use later on..

Also - they work well over strollers..

Oh - and don't forget there is a possibility that your shoes make get soaking wet so you might want to bring an extra pair!

Keeping my fingers crossed for all of you that Isabel goes away!!