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Article snippet: For much of last week, the predicted track of Hurricane Irma snaked across Florida from south to north. When it seemed to be headed toward Miami, residents on the Atlantic Coast feared the worst, and many on the west side of the state felt safer by comparison. By Saturday, however, the storm track shifted to the west, putting Gulf Coast cities like Naples, Fort Myers and Tampa at risk of the most punishing winds and storm surge. Floridians who had traveled from east coast cities to the west in search of safety were whipsawed, as were those living in the west; Collier County, which includes Naples, did not order its evacuation until Friday. “We kind of thought ‘Oh well, maybe we’ve got some breathing room,’” said a spokeswoman in Collier County, Kate Albers. “And now it’s bearing down on us.” The wandering forecast has been a source of consternation for Florida residents. But was this a failure of the models that help officials plan for storms? Hurricane Irma has confounded even the experts. Brian McNoldy, a researcher at the University of Miami and respected blogger on tropical storms and hurricanes, decided on Thursday to evacuate from South Florida with friends and his two dogs and drive to the Tampa area. He said he was willing to take on the risk of a powerful storm, but the prospect of what at the time appeared to be the eyewall of a Category 4 or even 5 slamming into Miami with obliterating force gave him “a sickening vibe,” he said. He recalled thinking, “... Link to the full article to read more