Hurricane Florence Is Coming!

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Has anyone been evacuated yet?
GG, are you folks still at home or bugged out?
Cindy?
Who else?

 

[GotGarlic]

We're here - we're not leaving. We are actually under mandatory evacuation, but the hurricane turned more south during the day and is not expected to have as much of an impact as it was previously. Quite a few of our neighbors are staying, too. We're well prepared to manage on our own for several days and we would prefer to be here with our pets.

As far as I know, Cindy and we are the only active DC members who live in the area expected to be affected by Florence - at least for the first day. It's supposed to stall once it makes landfall, so areas inland from Wilmington, NC, will get *lots* of rain.

 

[caseydog]

Lots of talk here about wind and rain, but the big killer is storm surge. This storm is going to have a big storm surge if it maintains it's current strength. Fifteen to Twenty feet would not surprise me.

The photo I took below after Ike shows a house in the background that was on top of the piers in the foreground, but was lifted by the storm surge and ended up 100 feet away.

Anybody who doesn't leave the outer banks is playing Russian Roulette.

Madcook, coastal homebuilding is way better today than it was 50 years ago. After Ike, building codes went through MAJOR changes. But, you still have to know when you live on the coast that hurricanes happen, and weight the benefits of a home by the sea, with the risks of losing your home to a hurricane.

CD

 

[caseydog]

I found another shot on my computer of a concrete pier-and-beam bridge at Rollover Pass after Ike. The storm surge tossed the concrete beams around like twigs.

CD

 

[GotGarlic]

Lots of talk here about wind and rain, but the big killer is storm surge. This storm is going to have a big storm surge if it maintains it's current strength. Fifteen to Twenty feet would not surprise me.

Wouldn't surprise me, either. Landfall is forecast to be about 200 miles south of us, though, so we don't expect that here. Our block has never flooded with any of the tropical storms and stalled thunderstorms we've experienced over the years.

 

[GotGarlic]

The 11 pm update shows that Florence has shifted even further south. So sorry for North Carolina Kinston, where Chef and the Farmer is located, is going to be run over.

If anyone wants to follow its progress, you can do that here: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov

 

[cjmmytunes]

K-girl, Mom and I are staying put. We have plenty of supplies to last about a week. GG is right about the storm shifting to the south. The bridge into our neighborhood may flood, but the are of the neighborhood where we live does not flood.


GG, change of plans with my family. DD and her family are going to Ohio to stay with his family, taking his uncle & nephew with them. Sister & her husband are thinking about coming in this afternoon. Will let me know later.

 

[caseydog]

K-girl, Mom and I are staying put. We have plenty of supplies to last about a week. GG is right about the storm shifting to the south. The bridge into our neighborhood may flood, but the are of the neighborhood where we live does not flood.


GG, change of plans with my family. DD and her family are going to Ohio to stay with his family, taking his uncle & nephew with them. Sister & her husband are thinking about coming in this afternoon. Will let me know later.

Just be prepared to run if the storm changes course, since Elizabeth City is low-ground. You should be okay, but have your car gassed up and ready to roll if you need to go.

CD

 

[Addie]

Here in the NE, we aren't expected to be impacted by Florence. To all who may be, we wish the best for you. Keeps safe.

Andy, MDC has evacuated Shays Beach here at Orient Height. The folks were told, "We may not get the actual storm, but we do know that the high tide is going to be higher with surges and very dangerous and strong."

This building has the Chelsea Creek on one side. It is fed from Boston Harbor. The big ships have been tying down their moorings more than they normally do. They are all oil ships and when I heard the warning for the bridge going up, I got curious. Three ships were waiting to go through to Chelsea and Revere. At the end of my street, is sea water from Boston Harbor also. But the good part is that there is a very steep hill just this side of the Creek. So if any water should come in this far, it will just go down the hill and into the several drains along my street. And we have several sewer drains right in the driveway and at the back of the building.

 

[cjmmytunes]

Just be prepared to run if the storm changes course, since Elizabeth City is low-ground. You should be okay, but have your car gassed up and ready to roll if you need to go.

CD

We will take that into consideration, CD. We have gas in car, and to-go bags ready just in case. Where we live, our main worry is the bridge that comes into the neighborhood. It floods at the drop of a hat. Our street doesn't flood, though. National Guard will have some soldiers and equipment stationed here or getting people out of the neighborhood if we need to.


GG, sister & husband are being stubborn and staying put in Dare county but in a house that it at the very top of a hill that is owned by the realty company she works for. All the employees who couldn't leave are staying there. It is right in the middle between ocean & sound. Also has a whole-house generator.

 

[dragnlaw]

We will take that into consideration, CD. We have gas in car, and to-go bags ready just in case. Where we live, our main worry is the bridge that comes into the neighborhood. It floods at the drop of a hat. Our street doesn't flood, though. National Guard will have some soldiers and equipment stationed here or getting people out of the neighborhood if we need to.


GG, sister & husband are being stubborn and staying put in Dare county but in a house that it at the very top of a hill that is owned by the realty company she works for. All the employees who couldn't leave are staying there. It is right in the middle between ocean & sound. Also has a whole-house generator.

I find it amazing that people would stay in a dangerous life threatening situation when asked to evacuate for their own safety. Have they thought about the fact that they are putting others in danger when they should suddenly need help?

 

[GotGarlic]

Sorry to hear that, Cindy. On the bright side, it's looking like Florence will stay well south of us, so it shouldn't be as bad as we thought a few days ago.

 

[Kayelle]

I find it amazing that people would stay in a dangerous life threatening situation when asked to evacuate for their own safety. Have they thought about the fact that they are putting others in danger when they should suddenly need help?

^^+1 It is amazing to me too. We haven't had a major earthquake in years (1994) but if I had been warned a major one would happen here in a matter of days, your can be sure I'd be headed for Arizona. When you think about it, it's a real luxury to be warned of impending doom.
Needless to say, I'm praying for all those in the way of Florence.

 

[Mad Cook]

The news here (BBC) this morning said that "Florence" has dropped to category 2. The reporter was a little non-committal about whether this is a good thing and I'm not sure whether it is or not..

My thoughts are with you

 

[Mad Cook]

I find it amazing that people would stay in a dangerous life threatening situation when asked to evacuate for their own safety. Have they thought about the fact that they are putting others in danger when they should suddenly need help?

If the authorities tell people to leave and they don't wouldn't that invalidate the insurance on themselves and any portable belongings that were damaged or destroyed?

I suppose the people who refuse to leave are concerned about looters although one would think that the local thugs would have legged it as well.

 

[GotGarlic]

If the authorities tell people to leave and they don't wouldn't that invalidate the insurance on themselves and any portable belongings that were damaged or destroyed?

I've never heard of that.

I suppose the people who refuse to leave are concerned about looters although one would think that the local thugs would have legged it as well.

Just yesterday, there were reports of people wearing fluorescent vests going to houses and pretending to be from the city telling them that they had to evacuate. Apparently the plan was to get them to leave and then rob them.

People have many reasons for not wanting to leave their homes and they don't always make the best decisions. Since the storm has turned way south of us, we're feeling pretty safe here. I wouldn't want to be on a barrier island right now, though.

 

[phinz]

Almost forgot - I'm also going to fill up the bathtub. If we lose water, we'll be able to flush the toilet with a bucket from the tub. DH laughed at me when I did that before Hurricane Isabel in 2003, but we were without water for five days.

Having grown up in Houston (barely north of I-10) and experiencing Alicia as well as other storms, this is one of the first things I do as the storm starts to come ashore. We were in Hurricane Jeanne a few years ago while in Bonita Springs, FL, for a wedding and my wife asked why I was filling up the tub as full as it would get. When I told her we could use the ice bucket to fill up the toilet tank so it would be flushable she saw the purpose.

I'd prefer to live in a hurricane zone over a tornado, blizzard or earthquake zone. At least you can see a hurricane coming from a long way away. Sudden changes in weather can cause blizzards, tornadoes are way too sudden and earthquakes? Yeah, not much warning there at all.

 

[phinz]

The news here (BBC) this morning said that "Florence" has dropped to category 2. The reporter was a little non-committal about whether this is a good thing and I'm not sure whether it is or not..

My thoughts are with you

It depends on if she slows down as she hits the coast, and then lingers over land. It's oftentimes not the wind that does the worst of the damage. It's the rain. That's what devastated Houston and the surrounding area when Harvey decided to just park itself over the Greater Metro.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Just saw this news article in my NPR RSS feed. It lists 17 apps that might be of use to ride out the hurricane and stay safe. It would be useful for those in any area that might be preparing for an emergency. In fact, some of these are useful on an everyday basis. I'm looking at you, Weather Underground and GasBuddy.

17 Apps To Help You Get Through The Hurricane

Speaking of those in the danger zone, doesn't bakechef's Mom live in Charleston? Bakechef hasn't been around here in quite a while. I know he and Rob live in a Carolina, and they aren't that long of a drive from bc's Mom, so I hope all of them are sheltering safely. Same with Hoot, but I think he's north enough that the brunt of the storm should be a distance away.

 

[Just Cooking]

Watched a news report last night about evacuating..



Believe it or not, there are many people who just cannot just up and leave their homes, for a variety of reasons..


The wife of one couple reported that she cannot be in a shelter as, she has an autoimmune disease which makes it easy for her to "catch" things.. Many people can't afford to leave and have no where to go, according to the report..


Of course this was on network news so, who knows if there is any validity to the report?


Ross