I have noticed that every time Florida is named early on by the models to be effected, the conditions seem to change and the direction seems to change. (That has been a really good thing this year). But, as the year gets later, the models do not seem to do as well and there are surprises. Kate in the 1980's is an example of a surprise. She hit the panhandle and was still gusting 90mph winds or greater when she was 50 miles in land. (car miles). It might not be 50 miles from the shoreline to Tallahassee,.The best thing is to have your supplies topped off. If you are going to need gasoline this week get it now before there is an official storm, if your family is like mine, they have already gotten into the good stuff you bought and now you will be left with the stuff that you would not eat unless desparate. So get a little more of the good stuff that you can enjoy while watching the news reports on the blizzards up north. Learn some of the lessons of Katrina and Rita. The government, no matter how good its intentions are, is not capable of personally rescuing you from a mobile home that is not tied down, that is sitting on a water front property next to a river or a bayou. If you paid some one a really good deal on a roof from last years storms, rethink how much you paid compared to the going rate around you.Is it still a good deal? For Goodness sake don't get caught up in the last minute buying frenzy. Doing something helps relieve anxiety. Standing in a line waiting for 2 hours to buy food that you don't even like is a waste of time. If the storm gets closer start eating the stuff in the freezer first. While it is fresh and you have electricity. ITs cool enough to enjoy those steaks, chops, or other meats that will spoil if the freezer goes off for long. Insect repellent and flash light batteries are a very important thing. Even if we do not get a storm here in Florida, some one during the excitment of the chase, could run into a pole that has your neighborhoods transformer on it. The time is still long even if there is not a storm. One last suggestion, everyone stand on the shore or from their homes and puff really hard, maybe the storm will stall in the middle of the Gulf and Die.