Sand in the Coffee, Vol. 123: the gulf depression, and how to watch it without losing your mind
Put the phone down for one second. Then pick it up and read the right thing.
A tropical depression formed over the Gulf on Tuesday, and local outlets are reporting it moving slowly east, with the forecast showing a turn to the northeast by Friday. The governor has declared a state of emergency for 25 counties in northwest Florida and the Big Bend, Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa among them. That is a real system and a real forecast, so this is the calm column, not the funny one. If you’re on the Key or in Orange Beach this week, here is how to watch it well.
read the source, not the screenshot
The forecast will change, probably more than once, and a screenshot of a map is old the minute somebody posts it. Go to the National Hurricane Center at nhc.noaa.gov and read the actual advisory. Check it at the times it updates rather than every ten minutes. The cone shows where the center of the storm may go. It does not show where the rain, wind or surge will be, and it is not a prediction for your street. I won’t quote you a track or a strength here, because anything I told you at breakfast could be wrong by lunch.
For flags, surf and local conditions as they change, keep /beach-today/ open. The cam on the Key is live at /live-cam/ if you want to look at the sky yourself.
what to do today
- Fill the car. Gas lines are the first thing that gets silly, so do it before the news does.
- Bring it in. Beach chairs, umbrellas, the cooler and the paddleboard on the balcony. Wind turns a beach umbrella into a javelin.
- Check your medications and your phone chargers. Boring, correct, done in five minutes.
- Renters and visitors: call the property manager or front desk now. Ask what their plan is for your dates and who to call. Don’t wait for an email at 9 p.m.
- Look at your travel plans. If you’re flying in or out this week, check with the airline and your lodging before you pack, not after.
- Know your zone. Your county emergency management office tells you whether you’re in an evacuation zone. Look it up before there’s a reason to.
sand and sandbags
Escambia County has free sand available for residents in flood-prone areas, first come, first served, around the clock, according to local reports. The sites are listed on NorthEscambia. In Foley, the city has set up a sandbag station, with the city providing sandbags, shovels and sand. Foley already had flooding and road closures last weekend, which is why people there aren’t waiting around.
what’s already moved
Gulf Islands National Seashore announced closures of several Florida areas on Tuesday. All Escambia County, Florida, high school football games have been moved to Thursday night. Expect other outdoor plans to change, so call ahead before you drive anywhere for an event. The rest of what’s on the calendar is at /events/, but check with the organizer first this week.
what not to do
Don’t go swimming in the Gulf when the surf is up, no matter how good the waves look from the sand. Rip currents arrive before the weather does. Don’t drive through standing water. And don’t believe the person who has “seen this one before.” Every storm is a different storm.
Be a little early rather than a little late, check in on a neighbor, and read the advisory instead of the rumor.
— Chris
P.S. If you run a place on the Key or in Orange Beach and it’s on this site, it’s yours to claim — free, always: /submit/claim/
