Thanks Mike for the repost...I seem to have a knack at catching things right before the new threads go up! In any case though, I do want to caution everyone to go with the experts -- the NHC -- when dealing with these storms. I posted what I've analyzed and what I forsee, but they are the experts here. The forecast uncertainty is rather large, even at 3-3.5 days, which means no one from Biloxi east to Cedar Key should let their guard down.

Had the chance to take a break from the storm this weekend to some degree, but the storm is still very much making its presence known here in Tallahassee. Went supply shopping yesterday at the local Target, where they are out of duct tape and had three flashlights left. So yes, I ended up with a Scooby-Doo flashlight...at least it works well! Water supplies are not out, but are running a little low. Ditto ice.

Many businesses are already starting to prepare by putting plywood over their windows. A local Sprint store boarded up today and spray painted "Even Ivan Needs A Cell Phone!" on their windows. A local Barnes & Noble store was boarded up yesterday, while a local T.J. Maxx store was boarded up this afternoon. People are genuinely getting prepared for this thing here, which is really good to see -- Tallahassee has not seen a storm like this in recorded history and is a very susceptible region to high winds and, in parts, flooding. A minimal hurricane would probably result in many, many downed trees and a loss of power throughout much of the city for a couple of days at the least. A category 3 hurricane -- I don't even want to think about it.

As part of the local AMS chapter, I was supposed to give a presentation to a local group of school children this week. However, the class has field trips scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday -- trips that, I imagine, will be canceled due to Ivan. FSU will likely only close if the state tells them to close, as they seem pretty confident about the ability of the campus to withstand a storm...and the ability of people to get to campus during a storm. Not the smartest of ideas, I don't believe, but the state knows better.

Numerous residents still have sandbags left over from Frances, sandbags that are likely getting reused for Ivan....a few people around my place are attesting to that as I type. I'm sure the frenzy will only pick up in the next day or two as the storm nears. I've got a few bags of ice, a bunch of water, and am hoping for the worst to spare us all...I just feel for who it will affect down the line.