West Coast TE Peeps....

[Eden]

Apparently not much in the way of worries on the WA coast - waves a foot and under for most places, probably won't be much noticeable, but they have evacuated some very low lying areas just in case. I've also heard a little jut out on the Oregon coast has been cleared - I'm guessing even though the waves coming in won't be high, they may swamp the area.

I'm more concerned over all the poor people in Japan.... looks like it was pretty bad over there... (I think we have one or two TErs over there)

Our NOAA radio went off last night - good thing it wasn't an emergency in our immediate area... DH managed to sleep right through the racket....

[Biciclista]

Our NOAA radio went off last night - good thing it wasn't an emergency in our immediate area... DH managed to sleep right through the racket....

what do you mean "our Noaa radio went off"

[SadieKate]

what do you mean "our Noaa radio went off"

I'm guessing you mean "what is a weather radio?"

Anyone who has lived in tornado alley knows about them. It's a dedicated radio that turns on with NOAA weather alerts.

http://us.oregonscientific.com/cat-W...FZJe7AodRzWFiQ

[Eden]

what do you mean "our Noaa radio went off"

We have a NOAA weather radio - it mainly just sits there quietly, but if there is an alert, (usually weather related, but it will go off for Amber Alerts and area wide emergencies too) it beeps very obnoxiously - as it should as it is meant to get your attention then gives you the alert. I've only heard it go off a few times. Two have been Amber Alerts, a couple times for high wind, once for "severe winter weather" and last night to give the tsunami warning. There's a button you can push to get the current weather forecast too.

[Aggie_Ama]

We have a NOAA weather radio - it mainly just sits there quietly, but if there is an alert, (usually weather related, but it will go off for Amber Alerts and area wide emergencies too) it beeps very obnoxiously - as it should as it is meant to get your attention then gives you the alert. I've only heard it go off a few times. Two have been Amber Alerts, a couple times for high wind, once for "severe winter weather" and last night to give the tsunami warning. There's a button you can push to get the current weather forecast too.

In Texas we have warnings every other day. Right now it is a red flag warning for high winds and dry area. The weather alarms are a curse but necessary....

To think Japan is on the cutting edge of earthquake proofing and to still see the devastation is insane. It was almost more than I could take. Prays/good vibes to everyone in Japan and worldwide.

[SadieKate]

I was yelling at the TV this morning when the news anchor starting implying that the impending peril had imploded when the first wave hadn't shown up within 20 mins of estimated arrival. Sorry, but what a dipsh!t.

Tsunami waves do not behave like normal waves. They are not surfable. They are not to be played with. And they are hard to track in deep water. And there can be a lot spaced across hours.

This is readily available info. Obviously, brains were not a requirement for his position.

[Eden]

Sometimes I wonder about my hubby.... when he sleeps, he sleeps hard... Not only did the weather radio fail to wake him up, this morning he had no memory whatsoever that when I came to bed I told him that the radio went off and gave a tsunami warning....

I've been watching the news. It looks so horrible along the coast. I don't think any amount of preparedness can stand up to the force of a big wave.... the best you can do is get people out of the way. It was good that the quake happened during the day - people were awake and alert, so it does sound like many people were able to get out or to a high building before the wave hit.

[NbyNW]

Well it sounds like the big man (or woman) upstairs was looking out for my Dad today! He was supposed to stop in at Narita on his way to Taipei early this morning, and it sounds like the earthquake hit just about a half hour before his scheduled landing time. Apparently they were sent to a nearby military base to refuel and then got re-routed to Osaka. Crazy timing, but very glad he wasn't on the ground when things got exciting.

I have friends who are still waiting on news of family, friends and colleagues out of Sendai. Keeping fingers crossed.

[bluejellybean]

I live in a tsunami zone in Canada...we've been on "advisory" all day but it hasn't advanced to a "warning"...thank god...I'm thinking about friends in Japan who I've lost touch with over the past few years and don't have their current emails...who knows what to come and where, things can happen at the blink of an eye.

[Biciclista]

We have a NOAA weather radio - it mainly just sits there quietly, but if there is an alert, (usually weather related, but it will go off for Amber Alerts and area wide emergencies too) it beeps very obnoxiously - as it should as it is meant to get your attention then gives you the alert. I've only heard it go off a few times. Two have been Amber Alerts, a couple times for high wind, once for "severe winter weather" and last night to give the tsunami warning. There's a button you can push to get the current weather forecast too.

thanks Eden, I had never heard of one before!

[KnottedYet]

Our NOAA radio went off last night - good thing it wasn't an emergency in our immediate area... DH managed to sleep right through the racket....

I used to have a NOAA radio, I need to get one again. (got a Red Cross 3-day EP kit in the trunk of my car, it's a good kit, I recommend it as well)

Feeling bad for the folks in Crescent City, CA. They're getting hit pretty hard while the media is full of armchair quarterbacks poo-pooing the warnings and advisories. Harbor destroyed, 34 boats destroyed, and the wave train is apparently building. And Santa Cruz isn't having a good day, either.

Doesn't help that the tide is coming in now, too.

Sounds like the underwater topography is what makes tsunamis so hard on Crescent City.

I wish I remembered more from my oceanography classes.

ETA: the photo of the first of the tsunami waves coming into San Francisco Bay (Emeryville) is pretty impressive. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/...id=84822&tsp=1

[Trek420]

I'm more concerned over all the poor people in Japan.... looks like it was pretty bad over there... (I think we have one or two TErs over there)

+1. The devestation looks astonishing. Anyone here know where that shut off button is on their nuke plant? A reminder to us on the "ring of fire" now that's what an 8.9 does The Loma Prietta was not "the big one"

Duck on Wheels is staying with me while a visiting scholar at Cal I think we'll sit down and formulate an emergency plan; rotate the spare water, move the deck chairs on the Titanic

[Blueberry]

In all seriousness - nuke plants don't have an off button. Once you "stop" them, you still have to make sure they cool for hours - otherwise, you can have big problems. From what I hear, they're having issues with some of the back up systems that cool the cores....scary stuff.

ETA: Of course, I'm worried about our friends in Japan too. I was bleary eyed when I posted, and knew about the tsunami warnings, but not the quake that caused them....

[crazycanuck]

Some of my former workmates (and students) in Japan have been affected by the Quake.

One dude's wife n kids (lives in Fujisawa) were @ Shinjuku station on thier way home & were stranded. They spent the night in Yokohama.

Another's family is in Sendai & are unable to contact them.

It goes on...

[Biciclista]

from the news: Tsunami waves up to 1.7 feet hit Washington coast