Hurricane Irene

[missy]

Before we bought our current house we put an offer on an oceanfront home, but lost to another bidder. Not long after we decided we'd rather be a few miles in and have more acreage. When it was gorgeous out this summer I would say "That oceanfront home would have been really nice today". Today, I'm really glad we didn't get that house. I would probably be 1,000 times more worried.

As it stands, I think I'm going to venture to the grocery store tonight. Usually I'm not the type to "stock up" before a storm, but we're low on food and I really want to bake a pie after reading the pie thread...

I hear you on that NEL! I have always wanted to live on the ocean and now we do and 5 months later...this! My neighbors kept saying today how for over 20 years nothing like this has never happened (and they never had to evacuate before) but that didn't really make me feel better.
I just hope that it is not as bad as they are predicting and of course the main thing is for everyone to remain safe. But I am worried and anxious and very very scared about what is to come. Making matters worse they are predicting that our NYC home will also be getting hit hard.

One thing I am for sure doing as soon as we recover from this is to get a natural gas generator to run the important things in the house. My friend in DC was telling me about his and it sounds awesome. They have it connected to the natural gas line and it runs everything in their house. And they have a backup one attached to the first one! So nothing ever goes out during power loss. Oh, I so wish we had that. I really hate being without power. Especially when it is hot.

Everyone stay safe and fingers crossed Hurricane Irene doesn't cause too much damage to anyone!!

 

[centralsquare]

Fingers crossed and hoping for the best. Stay safe!

 

[JewelFreak]

Stay safe, everybody. Be careful & think ahead as much as you can.

iLander's advice was good about water -- it's one of the most torturous things w/a power outage. Fill bathtubs, sinks, fill up the washing machine w/water. There's NOTHING worse to me than being w/out water. Candles & batteries & as she said, a phone that doesn't need electricity -- dig that old antique out if you have it.

Good idea to put leashes on dogs so you can grab 'em quickly if needed; let them trail around with them. If you have trees that could fall on your house, sleep downstairs if 2 stories -- not the garage, which they told us isn't the sturdiest place.

It has already weakened & may do so further. Haven't yet seen a storm they didn't over-hype -- including Katrina, where the real problem was the infrastructure; the storm was 2 cats weaker when it landed than they predicted. So don't panic; just stay as safe as possible & you'll tell the story to your grandchildren!

--- Laurie

 

[autumngems]

On the coast of North Carolina, we will get it tomorrow morning, not looking forward to another one of these.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Stay safe, everybody. Be careful & think ahead as much as you can.

iLander's advice was good about water -- it's one of the most torturous things w/a power outage. Fill bathtubs, sinks, fill up the washing machine w/water.
--- Laurie

All the water advice is wonderful. Never thought of filling the tubs or washer.

Stay safe everyone. (And maybe it's just me, but I'd add beer to the list of comfort items!)

 

[AGBF]

Fill bathtubs, sinks, fill up the washing machine w/water.

All the water advice is wonderful. Never thought of filling the tubs or washer.

And don't forget that if you have a swimming pool outside, you can use that water to flush toilets, too!

Deb/AGBF

 

[mary poppins]

Time to boil the eggs!

 

[mary poppins]

Other than that my concern is WTF are we going to do for entertainment if we lose power!

Make another baby! Many storms result in baby booms because people are housebound.

 

[Sha]

Thinking of you guys up North! Zoe, I'm in the Caribbean but not much further south than the Bahamas. Irene hit us last weekend when she was just a tropical wave. We had lots of rain and thunder and lightning for a few hours, but not much damage. It sounds like you guys are in for a lot more than we had, unfortunately. Please be safe! I'm praying that everyone gets through the storm okay.

 

[iLander]

From The Hurricane Center discussion;

SATELLITE IMAGERY AND COASTAL RADAR DATA SHOW THAT IRENE HAS LOST
SOME ORGANIZATION THIS MORNING. THE CLOUD TOPS HAVE WARMED
SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE WESTERN SEMICIRCLE...AND THERE IS A LACK OF
CONVECTIVE BANDING IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUADRANT IN THE RADAR DATA.
THIS SUGGESTS THAT DRY AIR SEEN IN WATER VAPOR IMAGERY TO THE WEST
OF IRENE IS STARTING TO ENTRAIN INTO THE HURRICANE. AN AIR FORCE
RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT CONTINUES TO OBSERVE 90-100 KT
WINDS AT 700 MB OVER THE EASTERN SEMICIRCLE. HOWEVER...THE HIGHEST
SURFACE WIND ESTIMATES FROM THE SFMR HAVE ONLY BEEN 70-75 KT. THE
INITIAL INTENSITY IS REDUCED TO 80 KT...AND THIS COULD BE A LITTLE
GENEROUS. DESPITE THE DECREASE IN CONVECTIVE ORGANIZATION...THE
AIRCRAFT REPORTS THAT THE CENTRAL PRESSURE REMAINS NEAR 952 MB.

LAND INTERACTION...DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT...AND INCREASING VERTICAL
WIND SHEAR SHOULD CAUSE IRENE TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES ALONG THE U.S.
EAST COAST. HOWEVER...THE CYCLONE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A
HURRICANE WITH A VERY LARGE WIND FIELD UNTIL AFTER LANDFALL IN NEW
ENGLAND. EXTRATROPICAL TRANSITION SHOULD OCCUR AFTER THE NEW
ENGLAND LANDFALL...WITH IRENE GRADUALLY WEAKENING FROM 48-120 HR.

Yeah!! It's getting less organized, and more raggedy. I think the NY/NJ area will see 70 mph winds which is not a huge deal, and damage to the Carolinas won't be quite so bad.

I also don't see how a weak wind and not too impressive pressure is going to carry enough water to flood NYC. I don't think so. Maybe a foot or two above normal, but not the 8-15 feet I've heard predicted.

And don't forget it will have to plow through NC before it gets to NY, and that will cut down a lot of it's strength.

So, don't worry so much. As of this a.m., it looks a lot better.

 

[iLander]

INIT 27/0900Z 34.1N 76.5W 80 KT 90 MPH
12H 27/1800Z 35.7N 75.8W 75 KT 85 MPH...INLAND- North Carolina
24H 28/0600Z 38.4N 74.6W 70 KT 80 MPH...OVER WATER - Virginia
36H 28/1800Z 41.9N 72.7W 65 KT 75 MPH...INLAND - Pennsylvania
48H 29/0600Z 46.3N 69.6W 50 KT 60 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP - New York
72H 30/0600Z 54.0N 59.0W 40 KT 45 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
96H 31/0600Z 57.0N 41.0W 40 KT 45 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
120H 01/0600Z 58.0N 23.0W 35 KT 40 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP

At my house we don't generally evacuate for anything under 85 mph (knock on wood) . . .

 

[partgypsy]

Whew that is good news! We turned off the lights and went to bed early, but I wake up, and other than a little rain it is quiet. I'm in NC, but west of 1 95 (East of 95 will experience the worst of it). Ironically I ran into a friend earlier this week and we scheduled to meet for lunch today. Guess we forgot about the hurricane! Although it won't as terrible they are still predicting 40 mph winds, rain and possible flooding in our vicinity.

 

[JewelFreak]

Down to a cat 1 this a.m. Not to worry -- by the time it hits NJ & NY it will probably be barely a hurricane or will be down to a tropical storm. Enough to do some damage but not the catastrophe predicted. As usual, over-hyped by the media.

We are in western NC in the Piedmont -- we're getting winds from it, more like strong breezes, but still surprising how big the reach of the storm is. It's a 4-hr drive to the coast from here.

Good news, folks!

 

[missy]

I'm watching the news and it still looks pretty bad on the Jersey Shore....

I'm really worried about damage to our house..I keep thinking the roof can blow off watching all these reports. Really scared still. I so hope it won't be as bad as they are predicting. They are evacuating around us in NYC also. I just spoke with my girlfriend who has to leave her apt in Battery Park City. I am still freaking out.

Keep all the good news coming here- it makes me feel a bit better.


ETA The big danger as I understand it comes from the storm surge which has not been downgraded...

 

[missy]

Oy, now I am also worried about tornadoes predicted to hit us at the shore!

 

[zoebartlett]

Thinking of you guys up North! Zoe, I'm in the Caribbean but not much further south than the Bahamas. Irene hit us last weekend when she was just a tropical wave. We had lots of rain and thunder and lightning for a few hours, but not much damage. It sounds like you guys are in for a lot more than we had, unfortunately. Please be safe! I'm praying that everyone gets through the storm okay.

I'm glad you saw this thread, Sha. I'm glad the damage wasn't that bad.

I've been glued to CNN all week. This is one very big storm!

I went food shopping today but it wasn't really to stock up (we needed food anyway). I was kind of surprised at how much bottled water was still on the shelves. I thought that would have been the first thing to go.

 

[MissStepcut]

I am supposed to fly from DC to Chicago tomorrow. Think I'll make it?

 

[Fly Girl]

I am supposed to fly from DC to Chicago tomorrow. Think I'll make it?

I'd have a Plan B ready for sure. Good luck.

 

[AGBF]

As usual, over-hyped by the media.

Laurie, I am so much in sympathy with you! All they care about is their ratings/selling papers. They will sensationalize any story at the expense of any person or event. But ...I cannot forget how underprepared everyone was for Hurricane Katrina and the massive loss of life and misery that resulted from it. I would rather be prepared for a catastrophe that does not take place than unprepared for one that does. I hope that it is not only the northern, wealthier areas that will be prepared for hurricanes in the future. I hope that governments-federal as well as state and local-will ensure that poor, black residents of the back wards in Louisiana don't drown the next time a hurricane hits Louisiana. Or Mississippi.

Deb/AGBF

 

[that_someone_special]

So glad it's losing steam. Natural disasters as just so unpredictable and that can be scary!

 

[february2003bride]

I'm in Northern VA and so far it's no different than a normal rain storm. Our local news keeps saying 6pm we're going to ge slammed though...

 

[decodelighted]

Worried for my family members who didn't evacuate Tidewater area. Supposed to hit them hard at high tide (8pm?) It's coming our way too - eventually. Eeesh! Safety vibes going out to my PS pals in its path also!

 

[missy]

So glad it's losing steam. Natural disasters as just so unpredictable and that can be scary!

Unfortunately that just isn't so. This storm is not losing steam at all. If you listen to the so called experts the category of the storm doesn't matter as much as other factors including storm surge, high tide, new moon etc. I only wish Irene was losing steam...
There have already been reported deaths from this storm. Very dangerous and very scary. I cannot even watch the news anymore.

 

[Kaleigh]

Missy I can't watch the news anymore either. I am just so worried.

 

[Autumnovember]

So glad it's losing steam. Natural disasters as just so unpredictable and that can be scary!

Unfortunately that just isn't so. This storm is not losing steam at all. If you listen to the so called experts the category of the storm doesn't matter as much as other factors including storm surge, high tide, new moon etc. I only wish Irene was losing steam...
There have already been reported deaths from this storm. Very dangerous and very scary. I cannot even watch the news anymore.

I agree...it is absolutely not losing steam and its still considered a cat 2 where I'm at...

 

[wakingdreams53]

Evacuated Brooklyn and went Upstate. My flights been cancelled and moved to Tuesday. I pray all will subside by then.
Everyone in NYC is flipping out. There was traffic trying to get on the GW at 4:30am.
People were cutting us off, it was a nightmare. I can only imagine how bad it was when dawn broke.

Prayers to everyone. Especially the family of those 3 in NC who passed away.

 

[AGBF]

Evacuated Brooklyn and went Upstate. My flights been cancelled and moved to Tuesday. I pray all will subside by then.
Everyone in NYC is flipping out. There was traffic trying to get on the GW at 4:30am.
People were cutting us off, it was a nightmare. I can only imagine how bad it was when dawn broke.

Hi, wakingdreams-

I'm glad you made it safely. My husband is in northern Virginia. He said that, so far, it only seems like rain there, but he is very apprehensive. Apparently they are expecting the brunt of the hurricane to hit our area at around midnight. Trees fall like matchsticks around our house there. One massive one hit and broke the Great Room window once. One fell in our swimming pool another time. They hit the house. They miss the house. We are constantly having them cut down, but they continue to fall!

I am in Connecticut. All we have had here so far are light sprinkles on and off. A friend's husband showed up at our front door about half an hour ago asking if he and his family could stay with us, though. He said they were being evacuated. They live in a low-lying part of town, near the water. (We are on Long Island Sound.) We said, "Of course!" and started to bring in his teenage son and his cats' food, when he got a phone call from my friend (his wife) saying she had found another place for them to stay! So we are now alone again...except that I called and found that our 91 year-old next door neighbor is remaining alone in her house for the hurricane. I am glad I called. I had assumed she would be going to her daughter's house as she usually does for snowstorms during the winter! She didn't need anything. Like most native New Englanders, she is very self-sufficient. She was only worried about whether she would be strong enough to keep bailing out her basement when her the electricity failed and her two pumps stopped!

What are other people up to?

Deb/AGBF

 

[Lottie]

Have been watching this on the BBC news. Fingers crossed.

 

[Autumnovember]

Nevermind, it did lose steam...category 1 now.

 

[Autumnovember]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44297053/ns/weather/

God.