Gaining strength and not slowing down!

[imanamerican63]

Hurricane Laura went from a Cat 1 to a Cat 4 in short period of time! Those in the path heed the warnings and get the hell out of there now!

[soothsayer]

1. Damn I was hoping you meant Joe (I think that's also true)

This is a good storm to evacuate from.

[FM123]

2. Warnings must be taken seriously!

The National Weather Service says there will be an "unsurvivable storm surge" in some areas.

[pwb]

3. Global warming is a Hoax.

Right ? Keep on polluting the earth. Let's get back to the destructive normal as fast as we can.

[Grammy23]

4. Sadly, if they have not left by now, their window of opportunity

Is rapidly closing. There comes a point when leaving makes you vulnerable to the forces of the storm as you attempt to flee. Gridlock on roads leading away from landfall has happened. I live in NW FL and it has happened here when people attempted to evacuate the barrier island and other low lying areas at the last minute. Not everyone who ends up staying are fools.

For one storm my husband and I rode out the storm at home because he was required to secure things at his job. By the time he was finished and allowed to leave work, it took 3 hours to get home, a trip that normally took 20 minutes. The roads leading out of town and in town were bumper to bumper in traffic and people were advised to shelter in place because being on the interstate in the middle of a storm was not advised.

My heart goes out to anyone who will experience this storm. It is something you will never forget. The damage to property is beyond comprehension. Loss of life will be inevitable for those who remain in the path of the surge. Once the storm gets going and wind is sustained at 45+, emergency personnel will not come to rescue you. They may not be able to come help you for hours and maybe even days. You will need to have food and water to last for 72 hours on your own.

These events are no excuse to have a party or heavy drinking. You need your wits about you if you ride out the storm. Things change rapidly as the storm makes its way through the area. I hope they’re ready and if possible, I hope they have left for safer shelter. The time for leaving is just about finished.

[crickets]

5. Kicking your wise words. Everyone please try to stay safe. nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

7. People might be less inclined to evacuate due to virus concerns.

The prospect of people being herded into shelters might not be the most appealing at the moment.

But if you live in a vulnerable housing--either near flood zones or in non-hurricane proofed housing, you best take your chances with the virus over the storm and get out.

As a Floridian, I would probably stay put. But our home is post-Andrew with shutters and isn't in an immediate flood zone or vulnerable area, so I can afford to take that chance.

[Castiel]

6. If you're in Western Louisiana or East Texas near the coast, please evacuate.

They're predicting a 15-20 foot storm surge in Lake Charles and 140 mph winds, plus a foot of rain.

[roamer65]

8. Very warm water.

Surprised it isn’t a Category 5.