Sitting here watching storm forecasts for Sandy/Frankenstorm.
Hoping everyone in its path makes it through with minimal impact.
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Sitting here watching storm forecasts for Sandy/Frankenstorm.
Hoping everyone in its path makes it through with minimal impact.
Stay safe. We're in coastal NC and supposedly we're past the worst of it for us. The rain should end sometime tomorrow and the wind should be gone by Tuesday here. It was not as bad as they were forecasting for us. Ended up mostly with a light rain that started last night. Right now we're actually getting some heavier rain than we had all day, but the winds haven't been bad at all. Actually have had regular storms with much stronger winds than anything with this so far. I hope all in it's path are as fortunate to have it be much less impact-full than it's being forecast to be.
Sigh,
I've brought in all my deck furniture and plants. Done laundry, run the dishwasher, charged up all my electronics, cleaned out anything questionable from the fridge. We rarely get power failures, and winds in the 75 mph range should be ok. Yeah, trees will come down, and I'll just have to hope one doesn't land on my house. I'm evacuating in the morning.
The big threat for me is serious flooding. I live at about 3' above sea level. I'd thought about parking over at the bike shop where the elevation is about 5' and walking home, but then there is this pesky mandatory evacuation order to deal with and they don't issue those capriciously. Then again, who wants to be the one that said, sure you can stay home, no problem.
I went over to the ocean just at dusk to see what was going on. The wind was gusting to 30kt easily, and it was high tide. Or should I say, extremely high tide - to the foot of the dune and the waves were easily 8' or more in the surf zone, and forecast to build to 19' over the next couple days. A couple days of that will make the high tides really interesting. The rain has just started, and I guess it's going to rain for the next 3 days. Oh joy!
Be safe everyone.
Don't forget the full moon making the high tides higher than usual.
I'm far enough away from the Potomac, and up on a hill, and on the second floor of the condo building, so I don't have to worry about flooding for my home.
I went grocery shopping yesterday before the insanity hit the stores. I have lots of batteries for flashlights (and my bike headlights, which can double as rather bright flashlights ;)), plus a new lantern that I picked up after the big power outage in July. I've also got the smartphone with the really good battery that I bought in July, and I kept the old smartphone so I can use that to play solitaire and removem without draining the battery on the new phone.
Tomorrow I'll fill up as many pitchers and water bottles as I can fit in my refrigerator and freezer. I'm running the dishwasher tonight and will do laundry tomorrow. I'm also meeting a friend for lunch tomorrow, and will fill up the gas tank and hit the ATM on my way home.
My real concern is my parents up on Long Island. I expect the main roads in their town will flood. They're on a hill so they'll be dry, but they will be cut off in the event of an emergency.
Cleaned up the leaves, so nothing gets caught in the drains in our yard (we live on a hill). Took down the wind chimes, whirly gig, and checked the yard for anything that needed to be done.
Did laundry, got cash and groceries. Running the dishwasher now. We have a supply of batteries to last a lifetime. Got the cell phone charger for the car out of DH's car and put in my car.
Made sure I have enough canned food and stuff I can heat on the stove (I have gas) and am making some turkey meatballs. Dug out the manual can opener.
Will fill up the car later, but I probably will go up to my office in the AM, which will use up gas, so may fill up again. I have to get some billing stuff done at the office, but the rest of day is my clients who live within 12 miles of my house. We are getting mostly the wind effects and some rain, according to the weather folks. We are on the edge, thankfully, of the really bad stuff.
Glad I no longer live in a house with a well. At least I can flush the toilet, use the water if the power goes out. We have a municipal utility in Concord, so if the power goes out, it's usually back within a few hours. Last year, in the Halloween snow storm, our power was out for 4 hours and the surrounding towns were like 4-7 days.
But, I wish DH wasn't away.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
With you on the concern for Long Island- I have a son at Kingspoint....... (USMMA)
Manhattan is closing down the transit system as of tonight. Schools are closed tomorrow, as is my office. In the burbs, I know we're going to lose power so determining now whose house we should go. Biggest concern for us are 4 giant pine trees on my neighbors yard that are sure to come crashing down on us so trying to clear the upstairs of any valuables and hope for the best.
There's talk of a pre-emptive power shutdown in lower Manhattan to protect equipment, so I'm filling water jugs just in case. We have food and batteries, and my apartment building staff is very good. I think we will be okay.
Taking the dog out will likely be a problem, but that's minor in the great scheme of things.
Hope everyone stays safe and comfortable.
As someone who has been through a couple of hurricanes I feel for y'all. Stay safe!
Good luck to all. The rain here has stopped, just the wind which will last through Tuesday and the gusts here are no worse than any other regular storm. I have seen some pictures from the Outer Banks of NC, mostly of Hatteras Island and there is a lot of flooding there. Milo Beach (Rodanthe, Salvo, Waves) appear to be taking the worst of it (which is typical as this is the smallest strip of land). There has been 1 definite house collapse into the ocean. It's the 2nd house from what is referred to as the S-Curves which are totally flooded. This house was condemned after Irene last year and no work was done to it, so no one was in the home. Anyone who watched the movie Nights in Rodanthe, this house at the time was the 3rd home from the S Curves as Serendipity was the first, but was moved father south 3 years ago. This area is prone to flooding with a minor storm, so the flooding was expected and the only evacuations were called were for visitors to please leave since they would be stuck on the island if they did not. No evacuations called for residents. I hope those who are still in her path will be safe.
I will be lighting a BIG candle tonight to hope for the safety of all in this storms path. I just hope there "Frankenstein" monster storm ends up being more along the book lines and less of a horror movie!
All the schools are closed tomorrow. I am wondering if it's really going to be that bad here. It's raining out, been raining all day, but no wind really, yet.
I'm ready, although not sure what I am going to do about work tomorrow. One client (the one who lives right near me) cancelled already.
My dad's up in Boston these days... Hopefully Frankenstorm isn't as bad as expected.
Stay safe, everyone.
Pam, I read that if you live on a high floor you should consider finding a lower place to stay, because winds will be even worse at higher levels.
Federal government is closed tomorrow, schools closed, Metro system closed, local governments closed, public library announced that no books are due between now and sometime next week.
Yet I know several people who are expected to go to work because their employer plans to be open. Which is just stupid, I think.
I usually go to the gym for weight training on Mondays, but I went today instead. Also met a friend for lunch, just to get out of the house. Then I went to pick up a few non-storm things at Target, which was not at all crowded.
I received an email from Verizon and a phone message from Comcast with info about reporting outages and how to get information during the storm. My credit card company sent an email saying that they will not charge late or overdraft fees for the next several days.
I also received an email from Tim Kaine, who is running for Senate, asking people to take any campaign-related yard signs indoors until the storm is over.
I'm on LI but more worried about DD who is at UDEL in path of the storm
, wishing she had driven home when they told them school was closing and they should go home...
I hope she's okay. I have nephews at Univ of New Haven and SUNY Farmingdale, and both are home with their parents on Long Island because their schools were closed. The UNH nephew is a volunteer fireman so I imagine he will be at the firehouse for the next few days to be ready for whatever happens.Quote:
Originally Posted by cranfordrd
My parents are in Bayville, where the storm surge will be bad. Once again I'm glad my grandfather chose to build the house up on a hill instead of near the beach.
Hope everyone is safe and that the Mammoth Storm turns out to be less than predicted.....!
I saw on the internet this morning that streets within 3/4 mile of my house have water up to the tops of the fire hydrants and the bulk of the storm won't even be there until tonight. It's a pretty safe bet that my house will have some water incursion. I only brought clothes for 4-5 days and Rx for a week. I'll be spending the next few days contemplating alternate housing arrangements, and starting an inventory list for insurance purposes. Finding a place to live that hasn't been damaged from the storm is not going to be easy and of course there will be a LOT of competition for whatever properties are available. So far I'm safe and staying with a friend 100 miles away, but the storm is going to hit here too.
OK, I did go to my office and am back home, round trip of 51 miles or so. It's rainy, not bad, but with gusts of wind. Not more than a regular nor'easter, maybe less at this point. It is supposed to pick up and be the worst here between 3 and 9 PM. Clients all cancelled or said they didn't want me to come this morning, so I have a free study day, yippee! At least until the power goes out, which I hope doesn't happen. There's plenty of people out and about, although we have a state of emergency, schools all are closed, and the public transportation system is shutting down at 1 or 2, I think. They are already having issues in the coastal towns.
Everyone be safe! This seems so late in the season for a storm of this magnitude, but obviously it isn't too late...
It's not the hurricane itself that is "of this magnitude." Sandy will wreak havoc because she is colliding with two other winter storm systems and being forced to turn inland, rather than back out toward sea, as she likely otherwise would. It's also a slow moving storm, which is going to increase flooding.Quote:
Originally Posted by Catrin
It is "of this magnitude." It's record-breaking large and record-breaking strong. Plus the rest of what you said. Plus what-all's in the path of it. Scary stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by indysteel
Thanks Oak, I thought that I had misunderstood something. Regardless, this is indeed scary stuff and I hope that all in the path are/stay safe.Quote:
Originally Posted by OakLeaf
We are on the mainland of long beach island nj,right in the thick of things. We have had a stressful day. Most of our concerns have been the winds which have bèen gusting over 90 mph since early afternoon. We are in the woods and surrounded by big trees. We lost power for a while and I am waiting for it to go out again. I have lots of friends and students that live on the island. They are all evacuated but I would imagine the lsland is currently under water.
Go away Sandy
Yes it is. Be safe everyone. :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by OakLeaf
Power just came on after 4.5 hours of being out. Sitting here alone, with just flashlights, was not fun. My friends checked in on me and my driveway neighbor did, too, but I had fun texting DH as he sat eating a delicious dinner in Torino, Italy. Our battery operated radio that worked Saturday when I checked it, did not work. I changed the batteries, still didn't work. I ended up downloading streaming video from a local TV station onto my I Phone to get periodic updates and hoped I wouldn't have to go outside to charge my phone in the car. It's still raining badly here, with wind gusts that are diminishing, though. I think the storm has hit us harder than expected. The coastal communities are wrecked and I've seen lots of pictures of trees down and crashed through houses. Power still out in the neighboring towns that rely on National Grid.
The flooding in NYC is freaking me out. Salt water in subway tunnels, car tunnels, subway stations. I think I read there is 3 feet of water on the floor of the stock exchange.
And the wind -- that broken crane on top of the building on 57th St. Just unbelievable.
And has there ever been a hurricane AND a blizzard from the same storm??
Just amazing.
Glad to hear those in NY, DE and NJ are all good. Sandy is blasting us here in Philly with wind. I've had two trees fall behind my apartment and the sound scared me half to death. Lights keep on flickering but somehow they have managed to stay on. The exploding transformers all over the city makes it look like fireworks. This is a long night!
The wind in frickin' central Ohio is incredible. Not super strong yet - they're calling for high winds overnight - and very little damage so far, thanks to the June storm shaking everything out - but nonstop. This is definitely hurricane bands. It's one thing to read about that 520 mile radius, another thing to experience it.
Stay safe, everyone.
Update, the stock exchange did not flood. Though there is plenty of street flooding in lower Manhattan and along the edges, e.g., the FDR Drive. Con Ed turned off power to some neighborhoods. NYU Hospital lost power and their generators failed so it's being evacuated. All county roads in Nassau County are closed, and the parkways on Long Island are also closed.
I read early this afternoon that Atlantic City was pretty much completely flooded. I think there's lots of damage along the shore in Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey.
And there is 14 inches of snow in Davis, WV.
I think the worst is pretty much done in the DC area now, though winds will be slow to decrease.
There are relatively few without power in the DC area, but something like 1.5 million lost power in NY state. My parents and my sister lost power around lunch time today.
On the other hand, I was able to work from home all day long and was able to be very productive. I was remotely connected to my pc at work, which rebooted several times but I was able to reconnect each time. And I had real-time weather information from NYC and Long Island on Twitter. Technology can be pretty great.
New York looks terrible. We have pretty bad damage along the shoreline here, the usual tree damage, and power outages. It's too early for me to contact my friends and my son who live in different towns/cities, but I suspect I may be one of the few with power. I was supposed to see a new client at her school today, and school there is cancelled, so I am waiting to see if my professional development seminar in our office in the same city as that school is open. I suspect not. I really don't want to be out and driving today. I just heard there's a severe thunderstorm alert out for New England today; we just finished a really torrential downpour about 20 minutes ago.
Be safe Crankin, and everyone out there. Please continue to keep us posted as you are able to. This is the first time in a long time that I've regretted not having some form of cable tv...
Spoke to my son. They did not lose power, which is amazing. He had a huge tree come down in the empty lot next to his house (the lot is part of his property). He was happy, as he wanted to get rid of it. My DH is now raring to go over there and wield his chain saw, to cut it up. I haven't been outside, but the only thing i see amiss is that the cover flew off of the grill on my deck. I am glad I took my canoe off of the stand we have it bungeed to. It would have flown off and been damaged. Ugh, it's raining again.
Going to get on the treadmill.
Crankin - glad you are ok and have power. We ALWAYS lose power in these storms, and went out last year after Irene and bought a generator, had the house wired and were all set. Of course, it figures - we didn't lose power in this storm, though the outage tracker showed that about 42% of town was out at one point last night. We lost one big limb from a shared tree (it's on the line between us and the neighbor) that took out the neighbor's fence. Otherwise, all is good here.
Hope others faired ok also!
SheFly
I am so glad those who have checked in are ok.
2.4 million without power in New Jersey alone.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/20...w-meaning?lite
As our TE gals and guys check in ok my thoughts go to those who can't. Stay safe, East Coast.
Did you grow up in Bayville? I'm from a few miles from there. My friend lives there now, and they always evacuate during big storms. I just read that Bayville Ave has partially washed away. I hope your parents aren't stranded! I'm pretty sure the rest of my family on the north shore is just without power, although there is always concern for the big old trees.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
You can probably get most of the news clips on the web these days. They tend to get them up pretty quick and even at times have live streaming. NBC specifically mentioned the live streaming, that they said they were doing for their viewers who were without power (I guess cell service must have been relatively unaffected?)Quote:
Originally Posted by Catrin
Most news and iconic photos go up on Twitter these days before the broadcast media ever get them.
This next week or two is going to be rough for a whole lot of people. Prayers that all stay safe and warm.