You immediate response should be “How can Hurricane Ian be worse than Irma?” The current Tropical Depression 9 and soon to be Hurricane Ian is currently projected to be in our Southwest Florida neighborhood late Tuesday-early Wednesday at a Category 2 storm. If it tracks a little to our north, it’ll be a Category 3 in Tampa’s neighborhood. Irma was a Category 5 as it approached and hit Estero as a Category 3. I know this. Our station is in Estero. I was here when the eye crossed over our town. Things are different with TD9, soon to be Ian. Here’s a look at this morning’s models:

Fresh Friday 12z spaghetti models on https://t.co/3cvwpvVJ22. Consistent pull north and turn towards Florida. NHC showing 110mph CAT 2 Hurricane possible Wednesday 2am. Conditions appear very favorable for development. https://t.co/Hk3pbO7x8H #flwx #tropics #TD9 pic.twitter.com/ojW1UlVSEP

That gulf is super warm. I was down at Barefoot Beach and can confirm. So the longer this storm stays in the gulf, the bigger it’s going to get. If it hits us, it’s predicted to be in Category 2 range. If it goes further north before landfall it’ll be a lot stronger. Back to my original thought.

I’m not talking about roof damage or flooding, I’m talking about the supply chain. And electricity. When things break you need parts. When hurricanes hit, the power goes out. It takes parts to fix the things that break to get the power back on.  Do they have enough parts? Here’s why I’m thinking this. Shortages have been in the news for quite awhile now. Manufacturers can’t complete cars and trucks without all the parts. Locally, it was something that happened to me.

Last May I got a water bill for $30. My water meter broke. I contacted Lee County and let them know. The response came back that they didn’t have the parts to fix it. Two weeks ago they finally did. I got free water from the county for essentially 4 months because they didn’t have the parts needed to fix the meter. So if Florida sees a lot of damage from the hurricane, do they have all the parts needed to get all of our power back in in a timely manner? I’m hoping so. We were without power after Irma for more than a week, and the power companies had everything they needed. What’s the situation with parts and electrical components when it comes to fixing damage from a storm?

I’ll keep you updated if I find out more. Here’s the link to our guide, and more information below.

Hurricane Central – Preparedness Guide gives you the updated information you may need in the event of a hurricane. Just because 2021 was a quiet year for storms doesn’t mean we can ever let our guard down. This guide is sponsored by local businesses here in SWFL. Gavin’s Ace Hardware, Sean King Law, and Powerhouse Home Services.

Emergency Operations Center 239-533-0622

Bonita Springs YMCA – Bonita Springs

Island Coast High School – Cape Coral

South Fort Myers High School (Pet Friendly) – Fort Myers

E. Lee County High School (Pet Friendly) – Lehigh Acres

Harns Marsh Elementary School – Lehigh Acres

Harns Marsh Middle School – Lehigh Acres

Mirror Lakes Elementary School – Lehigh Acres

Varsity Lakes Middle School – Lehigh Acres

Veterans Park Recreation Center – Lehigh Acres

Emergency Operations Center: 239-252-3600

Barron Collier High School – Naples

Corkscrew Elem/Middle School – Naples

Cypress Palm Middle School – Naples

Golden Gate Intermediate School – Naples

Golden Gate Middle School – Naples

Golden Gate High School – Naples

Golden Terrace Intermediate School – Naples

Gulf Coast Intermediate School – Naples

Gulf Coast High School – Naples

Laurel Oak Elementary School – Naples

North collier Regional Park (Pet Friendly) – Pre-registration is required

Palmetto Ridge High School – Special Needs

Emergency Operations Center: 941-833-4000

*All Charlotte County shelters are now Pet Friendly

Lemon Bay High School – Englewood

Myakka River Elementary School – Englewood

Kingsway Elementary School – Port Charlotte

Liberty Elementary School – Port Charlotte

Meadow Park Elementary School – Port Charlotte

Murdock Middle School – Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte High School – Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte Middle School – Port Charlotte

Sallie Jones Elementary School -Punta Gorda

South County Regional Park -Punta Gorda

L.A. Ainger MIddle School – Rotonda

Emergency Operations Center: 863-674-5400

Clewiston Middle School (Primary Shelter) – Clewiston

Country Oaks Elementary School – LaBelle

LaBelle Middle School (Primary Shelter) – LaBelle

Emergency Operations Center: 863-946-6020

Buckhead Ridge VFW – Buckhead Ridge

Maple Grove Baptist Church – Lakeport

Glades County Health Department (Special Needs) – Moore Haven

Moore Haven High School – Moore Haven

West Glades Elementary (Special Needs) – Muse

Emergency Operations Center – 863-993-4831

South Florida State College (Special Needs) -Arcadia

Hurricane watch = conditions possible within the next 48 hrs.

Hurricane warning = conditions are expected within 36 hrs.

Follow the hurricane timeline preparedness checklist, depending on when the storm is anticipated to hit and the impact that is projected for your location.

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