Report From Tampa

(Photo from the Weather Channel)

My friends in Tampa report:

Good morning Marc – We are good here. I haven’t gone outside yet, but we appear to be fine. In fact we never lost power the entire time. And the screens on our back deck appear to be intact. Thanks for all the time and effort you spent for us. I think what helped us the most was the storm went inland and passed east of us. Storm surge pictures from Sarasota (about 75 miles south of us) didn’t look too bad. But we haven’t seen all the news yet.

Now do another great job for us and keep Jose away. OK?

I reply:

Glad to hear you and your charges are safe, and as happy as can be reasonably expected!

From radar, it appeared as if you got part of the Irma's eye as it pushed past. That's a memory, for sure! Maximum wind speeds from the International Airport were 41 mph, with gusts to 63 mph (roughly 11 p.m.). Those wind speeds are uncomfortable, but not intolerable.

A Facebook friend with a daughter in Sarasota says they didn't get expected storm surge there. The storm's path inland was fortunate. Another Facebook friend is without power in Jacksonville. Haven't heard from another friend in Orlando.

Jose is a menace to the Bahamas, and will be circling very close to there over the next week, but available indications are Jose will eventually break free and head up the Atlantic coast, with possible landfalls from North Carolina, northwards. So, in a week, someone else farther north will be under this kind of stress.