By: Kellie Butler Farrell
Key Largo resident Don Noe spent a good part of his career as a meteorologist helping South Floridians prepare for the dreaded hurricane season. As the chief meteorologist at WPLG-Channel 10 from 1979 to 2008, Noe calmly talked viewers through approaching storms, including a 1992 devastating Category 5 hurricane named Andrew.
So surprisingly, it was a tropical storm a few years ago named Eta that really rattled him, quite literally.
“I remember being in the double-wide, I felt the thing shake and move,” said Noe. “It’s the creepiest thing to have things underneath you move left and right and left and right. It’s like, oh my goodness, this is not supposed to happen.”
Noe purchased his canal front Key Largo manufactured home in 2002 and moved to the Keys permanently in 2014. On the night of Nov. 8, 2020, Noe was in the double-wide with his son when Tropical Storm Eta, packing winds of 65 mph, hit. Noe’s home has eight tie-down straps, securing the trailer in place. Still, it shook and swayed and then something else happened.
“Everything was okay until about 1 o’clock in the morning and there was a loud bang. I saw something weird I’ve never seen before. It was an awning that was stuck into the side of my trailer,” said Noe. “It kind of impaled itself into the side of the house.” The awning came off the neighbor’s two-story house and flew over his roof.
“The lesson is it doesn’t have to be a hurricane to get damage,” said Noe.
The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. This year is forecast to be an active or “above normal” season, with 15 to 20 named storms.
“The worst thing that happens and my biggest fear and every meteorologist’s biggest fear, is rapid intensification,” said Noe.
Noe says song lyrics from Lower Keys musician Howard Livingston sum up his concerns perfectly. “But there’s a price you pay for living by the sea, when the tropical depression becomes a Category 3.”
Citing statistics from the National Hurricane Center, Noe says if you live in the Keys long enough, you will likely be impacted by a hurricane.
“About every 9 years, or so, there will be a hurricane that will pass within about 55 miles of any given point in the Keys. Every 18 years, it will be a major hurricane, Category 3 or higher.”
“Most of the times when you’re told to evacuate, in hindsight it wasn’t necessary, BUT, BUT, the time it is, you can’t afford not to,” warns Noe.
“If you decide to ignore evacuation orders and go it on your own, have a safe place to hide from the wind and especially the water.”
Now is a good time for Keys residents to make sure they have their re-entry stickers, just in case they are told to evacuate. The new color-coded stickers came out last year allowing residents to get one sticker for each registered vehicle with proof of residency. The stickers can be picked up at the Monroe County Tax Collector’s office.
When asked if he would evacuate his double-wide should a storm approach, Noe reflected on his experience with Tropical Storm Eta and said he would most likely hit the road.
“If it was another strong tropical storm or any category hurricane I think that I would not want to stay. The most important message here is to heed the advice coming out of the National Hurricane Center and Monroe county officials.”
Noe recommends three websites for hurricane information:
http:/www.nhc.noaa.gov
http:/www.weather.gov
http:/www.local10.com
A few other tips from Don Noe
- *If you have a generator, fire it up now and make sure it is working.
- *Have plenty of water. No need to buy little water bottles, you can purchase collapsible water bottles and fill when needed.
- *Have plenty of bandages and antiseptic. Accidents happen during storm cleanup.
- *Take note of what you use electricity for and have a plan should it go out.
- *If you decide to stay during a hurricane, have a safe place to ride it out.
