posted on September 16, 2003 12:40:14 PM new
jensmome, I sincerely hope that Isabel takes an easternly track eventually and goes back out to sea and doesn't bother anyone. You may need to evacuate, and please don't wait until the last minute to do it.
As for us, we are now under a Hurricane Watch, and expecting the Warning later tonight. At least Isabel is weakening, that's about the only positive thing I can think of right now.
My thoughts are with those of you who are also threatened by this hurricane.
"Be kind. Remember everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." - Harry Thompson
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it." - A Few Good Men
posted on September 16, 2003 04:25:19 PM new
jensmome: Here are a couple of tips or observations that come to mind they usually don't tell you.
When there has been a lot of rain the ground is moistened and you'll lose a lot more trees. Observe the movement of trees and plants. It's really neat to see the way they move. Pines will snap and make noises like a rifle shot or electrical transformer explosion. Oaks twist and turn and pulsate in and out in the wind, much resembling the motion of sea anemonies in moving water, and are likely to actually twist out of the ground. The limbs or tips of oaks can be thrown in a whiplike fashion and at greater speeds than the wind. Palms blow and turn themselves inside out. In higher areas there might be a lot of fast moving water which can wash out roads. Sheets of tin and other flat sharp edged objects blow through the air and can be really dangerous. Stay away from seawalls where there is a lot of wave action.
If you have medical equipment that requires electricity leave town or buy a good generator. Tip of the hat to CBlev65252 on this one.
posted on September 16, 2003 04:49:54 PM new
hurricane tip from the coast of FLORIDA:
you know how they say buy water? and you go to the store and all the water is gone?
well the last hurricane we went through (opal) water was the last thing you had to buy. Right after the hurricane my nearest grocery store had pallets of free water out front, you could take all you like. I think they gave away free ice too.
The Red Cross really does a great job of distributing things, there was free food, free phone calls and then there was some list I got on where I got bags of necessities, brooms, mops and groceries.
don't want to see another hurricane but even living on the beach, I'd still STAY instead of go next time. I know I know, but it would have to be a catagory 5 before I left. last time we left we ran the roadblock to get back home, we'd been on the road for hours and they wouldn't let us back in.
oh, one good thing to make sure you have, gas for your gas grill. we cooked on ours for a week.
gas for your car!
oh, and there was free counseling if you needed it. my girlfriend did. she lost her roof and the insurance didn't want to pay up and her house got mold and she just went off the deep end.
the bad part of the whole hurricane was that the area had this CLOUD of depression hanging over it for the longest time. it was horrible. I don't know how to describe it except everytime you went out it was depressing...........
if you're on the RIGHT side of the hurricane eye you're on the worst side, the left is just wind and rain. (I think that's right........or is it the left side of the eye?)
posted on September 16, 2003 04:52:57 PM new
For those living in the affected areas, you might consider adding a note to each of your auctions that you expect to lose power and it may take up to 5 days after the end of the auction to make contact with the winning bidders.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on September 16, 2003 04:54:48 PM new
Great suggestions. Fortunately it looks like it will hit south and then head west. I expect we'll get some damage but a lot less than a direct hit.
posted on September 16, 2003 05:52:03 PM new
Jens - SANDBAGS! Sandbag any basement windows, sandbags against the back doors. If you have window wells ... put plastic sheeting down over them Plywood over that and sandbags on top.
When we start looking at coastal flooding here, the city and the hardware stores provide all the sandbags you can fill and carry.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
Men Are Like Grapes. If You Stomp on Them and Keep Them in the Dark Long Enough, They Might Turn Into Something That You Would Take to Dinner
posted on September 18, 2003 03:01:41 AM new
My thoughts are with you folks as on Kodiak Island (Alaska) we get some 100 mile winds on occasion and they tear the cannery roofs off. SO I know that is probably nothing compared to what you all are facing and I have to add, that watching the news, what a bunch of tough and brave folks you are. Take care all and my prayers are with each and everyone of you.
From Lots of Caring Alaskan's!
posted on September 18, 2003 04:23:13 AM new
It is now 7:00 am EST. It is very windy, and only slight drizzle here in southeastern VA.
Only thing is the water pressure is way low.
(wonder why that is? Storm hasnt even hit yet?)
They closed all the stores yesterday at 6:00 pm (except 7-11's etc.) and everyone is running around all media hyped up! (I would hate to tell the mid-westerners how they close everything when it just STARTS to snow.
I dont expect this storm to do much, I could be wrong and get a surprize, but ....... dunno, everytime it seems so hyped up here.
I have been through one very bad hurricane as a child and I was 60 miles or so inland in Houston! And have been through many smaller ones since. It is VERY good that this Isabel is no longer a category 5 hurricane. The worst damage will be in areas along the coast, but numerous tornados will spawn from the hurricane once it lands and cause even more damage inland and the flooding can be quite severe as well.
The best thing about a hurricane is that you KNOW it's coming nowdays and can get out ahead of it. If you are not an experienced hurricane person, and live near the coast, I would bring in all outdoor items, lock up and head inland.
If you are directly in the storm's path and decide to stay, prepare for the worst immediately, especially canned food (and non-electric opener), bottled water, and fill the tub with water and get a bucket to pour water in the bowl to flush the toliet. You are likley to lose power, which means the pumps at the water utility likely will too if there is widespread damage.
If you haven't done all the things recommended on the NOAA site, it may be a bit late to get them done. Might be best to pack a suitcase and head inland.
Does your neighborhood flood? Have any of your neighbors decided to leave? DO NOT decide to leave in the middle of the storm though unless the house is severely damaged. You will likley have difficulty negotiating roads with downed power lines and trees.
Not trying to be too alarming. If I lived within 30 miles of the coast though, I'd likley be outta there.
Good luck,
Patty
[ edited by meadowlark on Sep 18, 2003 04:54 AM ]
posted on September 18, 2003 05:04:12 AM new
Ohio, fortunately, is on the outskirts of the storm once it travels north. We still have high wind and flood warnings, though. We've had so much water this summer we don't need anymore. Our basement has flooded numerous times. We took out bikes to the Cuyhoga Valley this past weekend and the evidence of the last flood is still there. The train tracks for the Cuyhoga Valley Scenic railroad are destroyed in some areas. They most certainly need no more rain!
Again, prayers to all of you living along the coast. According to weather forecasters, we are supposed to be buried in snow this year with a "storm of the century". Hope Stephen King stays out of that picture.
posted on September 18, 2003 08:14:19 AM new
::I would hate to tell the mid-westerners how they close everything when it just STARTS to snow.::
Don't worry about it. yYou should see what mid westerners do when it starts to snow.... they all get in their car and go to the grocery store. It's funny as hell to watch. About 30 minutes after the snow starts to fall, grocery store parking lots start to fill up and people stock as though they may be snowed in for weeks. The funny thing is that they do this all winter.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
Men Are Like Grapes. If You Stomp on Them and Keep Them in the Dark Long Enough, They Might Turn Into Something That You Would Take to Dinner
[ edited by fenix03 on Sep 18, 2003 10:13 AM ]
posted on September 18, 2003 08:35:21 AM new
Fenix - I also like watching the people that drive 2 mph at the sight of the first snowflake. As if it's never snowed in Chicago before!
I've been through Hurricane Ewa in Hawaii when I was about 12, a tornado in Oklahoma in the back of a Plymouth Duster (appropriate, eh?), earthquakes in California, good ole Nor'easter back east, and countless snow storms in Chicago. Have to say the tornado freaked me out the worst. Some one posted that seeing the devistation coming at you was the worst and I have to agree.
I hope for the best to everyone on the coast. Let's hope the damage is minimal!
[ edited by clivebarkerfan on Sep 18, 2003 08:36 AM ]
posted on September 18, 2003 09:38:05 AM new
Here in Southeastern NC it is raining and windy. Our power has been off a time or two but we are only going to get some tropical wind gusts and some rain. I am sorry to say our friends in the central part of the coast are getting hit harder and sounds like the Va coast may get it pretty rough also. My prayers are with you as we went through Bonnie, Fran, Bertha and Floyd in the last 5 or so years (direct hits) and it is no fun.
[ edited by parkman on Sep 18, 2003 09:46 AM ]
posted on September 18, 2003 09:52:09 AM new
AINTRICH:
That is a gorgeous picture!!!
Parkman:
I am bout an hour or two away from nags head.
So far, still just blowing rain here. (knock on wood).
Fenix:
LOL. Yeah, people are funny.
One of my sisters is out in Michigan and she says they dont close the schools until they hit at least a foot of snow. (I personally couldnt live like that anymore. So glad in the south at least dont have to deal with too much snow!)
posted on September 18, 2003 10:19:41 AM new
What an amazing photo!
Nero - I lived on the east coast when I was a kid and they used to shut the schools down at first flake. in 6th grade we moved to the midwest/west in the middle of January. Second day I was there it snowed the entire day, woke up to at least a foot of snow. This was to be my first day in a new school and I was thrilled it was going to be put off for a couple days... WRONG! The whole time I was in school there we got snowed out maybe a total of a week.
If you want to watch examples in ridiculous driving... Southern California in the rain. I swear I think these idiots drive to avoid rain drops.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
Men Are Like Grapes. If You Stomp on Them and Keep Them in the Dark Long Enough, They Might Turn Into Something That You Would Take to Dinner
posted on September 18, 2003 03:44:39 PM new
FABULOUS photo! Looks like it should be on the front page of USA Today or something. where was the ship when the photo was taken?
