[H]HURRICANE MILTON - GULF OF MEXICO

I agree having taught many like this over the years. Hopefully the husband is not and will make the decision to makes the kids safe.

To put this in perspective, El Reno was 2.25nm wide

My thing is if you stay, don't call anyone to rescue you. FAR TOO MANY first responders loose their lives saving idiots. 

I have a friend former coworker of mine. Also in Lutz. Originally from Ohio. She is refusing to leave because she thinks she will be ok because she is further inland. I don’t know what more I can say to her.

Keep thinking about Milton having written Paradise Lost. Not the same scenario of course, just the name Milton for what will likely be an historic storm and its going straight to Florida which I consider paradise.

Best time may be overnight. This at rush hour is already a known nightmare. There is still plenty of time tomorrow to get out if required. 7pm on a terrible Monday is NOT the time to be on 75 or 4 or Turnpike.

If I had to, I'd definitely get up at 2 or 3am and try then. There are still opportunities and time for those that need to.

But definitely pack your patience. Having ridden out and evacuated many times both, evac is HIGHLY stressful and very dangerous including fatalities (ie Irma). We once evac'd Dennis and it took 12 hrs to get to Atlanta (6 hr trip) with a freaked out cat and it dodged at the last minute and we went thru all that but you won't know until it's too late.

If I had to evac, it wouldn't be hundreds of miles away but out of the path of immediate danger. And for those that have never evac'd, believe me when I say it's not so easy and not what you think. Each family should decide based on officials and what is best for them but don't think that evac will solve it all.

For Irma we had a family get gridlocked from Central Fl (not evac) and they ran out of time and gas and had to stop in GA and ended up at a hotel that said they were not responsible for their safety and the storm came over anyway. I'm not saying not to evac but I'm saying that it is not what you think. It's a 14 hr nightmare and possibly more dangerous if you don't have enough time or gas....