WEATHER

[bacali]

I'm starting a new topic...WEATHER..so that we can keep each other up to date  and stay in touch now during our current Hurricane Sandy storm, but, also , generally during the year.

Right now... most of us here in NJ are nervous and waiting. They are calling "Hurricane Sandy" the perfect storm, and historic     That means really bad.
I was watching a news cast earlier and this weather man was saying ...this is the kind of storm that a meteologist dreams of... with 3 fronts converging. Some NEVER ever see this kind in their lifetime. This is enough to have me worried. ...because we had it very bad last yr. I was lucky..."little sister" , here... wasn't. She lost her whole finished basement.
They say "Sandy" is over 100 miles wide.  and will last for 48 hours, at least.This rain stalled over us along with what they call a storm "surge" ... means alot of terrible flooding.
Verizon has already emailed me... and warned ... about outages...so, I will be really lucky to not lose power this time. They say ..if we do ...could be for over a week... which would make me go crazy.
We have done everything we could do ... we took in all the outside furniture... put even plants and pumpkins in the garage.
My husband has blown the gutters now for 2 days. ... so the rain doesn't back up..next to the house.
My daugher is thrilled. Her in laws arrived at noon today...they were evacuated from the shore town of Manahawkin. Last yr they stayed with her for 4-5 days!!
I live about 30...45 min from Manhattan , and all transportion ...in and out of NYC is suspended starting later tonight.
Atlantic City casinos close this afternoon.
Our town and my husband's fire dept ...had emergency meetings and have all their equipment ready..and boats for evacuation ready...since our town borders the Passaic River.  So....
It is supposed to start raining tonight...but, gradually ...through the night...into tomorrow afternoon get really bad....the worst being Tues. night into Wed.
If you don't see me post right here... you know... I can't.  Otherwise...I will keep you up to date with what's going on.
We are all a family here , all good friends...so I know we in NJ...and like wise up the coast...like sherylk in R. Is...and Court...many of us may be effected. We know that you in other areas are wondering about us...so ... here is the thread to post on now ...to keep us all together and up to date.
Let's all just say a little prayer for everyone in the path of this storm...that we all stay safe.   

[Court]

Its supposed to affect a lot of Ontario which is where Smarties and I both are. Its supposed to reach as far as Quebec

[bacali]

Yes, I heard this... that is why it's such a bad storm.
If it reaches you , in Canada, and I heard all the way to Pittsburgh ,where cak lives.. can you just imagine how hard we , in NJ may get hit?
Gee, if we all lose power.... Snowbird and ponytail will be  "home alone" ...here...for awhile.   

[Snowbird]

All you buzzers stay safe.  That is the main thing.  The storm has affected us here in Georgia by turning cold and very windy so we are lucky.  My prayers are with all of you and I hope none of you lose power or get flooded.  Bacali, do you have heat when the power is off?  I hate when the power is off, even for a little while.  We have gone days without power and it sure is NO picnic.
Hugs to all you ladies.

[ponytail]

This is a good idea bacali. I think of all of you when I see the weather reports. It will give us a place to check for any of your updates. I continue to pray for your safety and that of everyone back there...

[cak416]

You bet, I'll be praying for all in danger. In Pgh, we're just supposed to be getting high winds and flooding (from the creeks and rivers)--nothing like the flooding from the ocean surges. I'm not in an area that floods.  Bacali-I just heard on the Weather Channel that they have evacuated Cape May! All the stores will be closed, so there won't be any supplies for anyone left behind.
We've just had rain and light wind here all day. The said on the WC that if the power goes out, the food in your fridge will be good for 4 hours, the food in the freeezer will be okay for 48 hrs. 

[bacali]

Cak... that's the point for closing everything with a mandatory evacuation....NO ONE should be left there, in Cape May...and no one should go outof their home, if they are stupid enough to ignor these evacuation warnings.
 Mandatory evacuations can't force people to leave ... but, they have said on all the channels that if you do stay... and get in trouble...that they may NOT be able to come help you. It will totally depend on how dangerous it is for the responders.
I don't ever think that this has happened...but, this is a first with this storm.
They have said that we have not or never will ever experience a storm like this in our lifetime.
The surge/or walls of water will cover most of Cape May with floods....so I wouldn't worry about whether "there are supplies for those left behind". Those left behind will be lucky to have just lived through this ...the way they are warning us.
Just imagine, though, if Pittsburgh is going to have high winds and flooding and you are that far away...what Cape May and the rest of NJ is going to get.
So..nope... no shopping for supplies... 

[Court]

They are calling for it to hit us tonight. Its supposed to last until sometime Tuesday.

[Court]

They are now saying Southern Ontario is gonna be hit bad by it and to expect to be out of power for up to 72 hours should it go out. I live in Southern Ontario 

Its already starting to get windy here. I'm not sure if I will have power or loose it. You can email me if you need something.

[cak416]

Cak... that's the point for closing everything with a mandatory evacuation....NO ONE should be left there, in Cape May...and no one should go outof their home, if they are stupid enough to ignor these evacuation warnings.
 Mandatory evacuations can't force people to leave ... but, they have said on all the channels that if you do stay... and get in trouble...that they may NOT be able to come help you. It will totally depend on how dangerous it is for the responders.
I don't ever think that this has happened...but, this is a first with this storm.
They have said that we have not or never will ever experience a storm like this in our lifetime.
The surge/or walls of water will cover most of Cape May with floods....so I wouldn't worry about whether "there are supplies for those left behind". Those left behind will be lucky to have just lived through this ...the way they are warning us.
Just imagine, though, if Pittsburgh is going to have high winds and flooding and you are that far away...what Cape May and the rest of NJ is going to get.
So..nope... no shopping for supplies... 

I just can't even imagine what you are getting....

[sherylk]

Hi everyone..
How did everyone make out during the storm? Did you lose power? Any damage?
We (in massachusetts) lost power yesterday at 5pm and don't expect it back until ATLEAST tomorrow...but thankfully, NO DAMAGE. I hope everyone else here is safe and sound!

[ponytail]

So glad you made it through alright Sheryl--such a mess, so much devastation, it is nice to know you are okay.

[bacali]

Hi, Im finally backkkkkk!! Thank God!!!! I missed you all so much.
I hope I never have to live through another hurricane again...ever.
Oh boy, is there a lot of damage...all over. I, personally, am so lucky. I lost power on Monday and just got everything back within the last hour. We haven't any house flooding or damage. Just unfortunately, my lovely maple tree which had just changed to a brilliant yellow and red.... the leaves are almost all off. I never got to see it at all....but, this is so insignificant.
This "Sandy" was deceiving. We have had storms that seemed to have a lot more rain. We had some rain, and of course,"very" windy....so much so , that I was afraid to stay on my top floor. ..because of trees.
Right now, I am listening to a tragic story.  In Staten Is.  A mom in her car ...the water came up so fast, she got out of her car with her two small children ,2 & 4 and the children were swept from her arms. They have a rescue out for them.... for 6 hours... no power , nor electricity ...there... and so far can't find them. Also, looking at houses for possible people trapped. Such a tradegy.
Most of the people I hear from listening to the radio....were killed by falling trees.
So, I stayed in the living room and .... finally went to our family room in the cellar.. with some candles, and flameless candles and flashlights and a radio...when it got dark
But, even though there wasn't a lot of raining...it was already flooding our town early Monday morning because of the surges and high tides... and this 'perfect storm" scenario. The ocean was being pushed with 15 foot walls of water inland to all the rivers... with a ripple effect inland. So,the massive flooding.
My husband finally came home ...around 11 and I felt a little better, so we took all the flameless candles and brought them upstairs..to the bedroom.
By  then, the winds ( Monday night) had let down...so I listed to the radio... and felt a little connected to the outsde world.
Because with the power out ... no tv, telephone, computer... and, the cell phones weren't all working. ..too many people on them...with the emergency. It was terrible...LOL..The phones still aren't all working... they are "all circuits busy"  , it says when trying to make a call   
So, I'm back.. but, oh boy... if you have seen the news... !! The NJ shore is forever changed.
My daughter, Kathy, had her in-laws arrive at her house Sunday at noon. She lives in Central NJ, and they live in a shore community and we all don't know...if there is anything for them to go back to. Of course, no one is allowed in any of these towns, yet,.... there were houses ON the highways.
A tree fell on her house and cut her power on Mon. She still doesn't have any. Stressed with the inlaws and 3 kids home.
I heard from my son... that my nephew ( little sister's son) had a tree down in his yard. ( I will try to call her now that I have a phone).
Neighboring towns are so flooded... they are even today ...just getting around to evacuating people.
So "Sandy" is over...and..
I'm relieved to see all our little family has checked in...and I am really happy to be back with you. 

[bacali]

What a day , today was. Here I was so "up" yesterday when I finally had all my power on and all my conveniences back....but, wow... what an awakening... today.
I hadn't spoken to my sister , and thought her call around about to others yesterday worrying about me...meant that she was fine. She was calling others about me, and we never got to talk together.
 Well, she did better than last yr with a flooded basement, but, was going into her 3rd day without power. She finally was able to contact me this morning.
My nephew, her older son, had a tree fall down and hit his house and he lost power, so with two little girls ..5 and 2, he took off to Westchester, Pa... where his office is.
My sister , who was on a phone, powered by their generator..was leaving this morning to follow. She couldn't take another day or night in the dark and with no hot water.
Next, my daughter is still coping with her in-laws...at her house, and decided with her husband to go check out how his parent's house fared. Well, good news...it's still standing.. but... full of 2 feet of water and sand.
She and my son in law spent today taking up rugs and trying to salvage what they could for his parents.
A boat was on the front lawn! God only knows when these people will have a home. And, she told me that they don't have the kind of insurance that pays for them to be housed in a hotel. So ??
Now, all around me in my town.. and I am not like these "in-laws"in a short communiyy.. I am inland... all--- ALL... the towns are flooded. When I say ..flooded. I mean Flooded!!! The only way the people leave their houses...are by boats. And they are still evacuating ...today!!
There is no power, no ... anything.
These poor people are left , some of them, with nothing!
The generators they bought after hurricane Irene last yr... they can't run because there is absolutely no gasoline .. NONE.
If you find a station with any....the lines are ..I can't even explain...how long.
And, there are two lines.. one for cars, and one for cans ( for these generators).
My son,Bobby,  Liam's dad.... his father in law.. was flooded last yr by Irene.. so he bought a generator, too.
However, he bought a "natural" gas generator... he wouldn't need gasoline.. Well, the water in our town where he is ...got so deep, it not only blew out the side wall of the Elks club,across the street... but.. Public Service turned OFF this gas. So... yup, his generator didn't work...he got flooded again...ruining  2 gas water heaters and washer/dryers... ( it's a two family home)... these all gone...again...and were brand new.
All day long, now that "I" have power, all there is on tv is storm coverage. Watching one story unfold after another and seeing the absolute despair and destruction ... it gets to you. 
Each one is sadder than the next...but, a young mother with her two small children in a car... all of a sudden with water rushing at her... on a normal street with houses... got out... and as she put down the 4 yr old and reached to get the 2 yr old... both children were swept from her by rushing flood water..... just brings tears to my eyes. They searched all day yesterday, and found those little angels today... and now they are actual angels.
I got an email... joking from my own cousin who live in Ga. He hadn't any idea what we are going through up here
In some ways , it's as bad as Katrina.
I saw ..and not too far from me. .. on tv.. some people who haven't eaten in 2 days and have no power or water. One woman said that the Red Cross gave her a big bag....of Skittles!! Yes.. you read correctly. Skittles.
She said.."what a joke".
Well, I have gotten it out of my systen..here... to my friends...sorry.
 We had our little fella here today... and I was busy... thank goodness. But, when I stop and watch and think of so many, many people effected...I just wonder ...where do they start? How do they go on?
I am so happy to be back here...as I said yesterday.. and so lucky ... and blessed.
Please, all my friends.. say some prayers for all these so unfortunate people. 

[ponytail]

Bacali--words fail me, I sit in comfort and safety watching all of this play out on tv, sorrowing for all those who have lost everything. So much I wish I could do, share, shoulder--you will certainly be getting my prayers for strength for you and yours, and the Red Cross will be getting a donation from me as well. Take care my friend.