A Place To Say Something To Others!

[Sally]

Gee - Hurricane weather, I have that here too!

Just not worrying too much about Earl where I am but there will be others!

You be careful and so what you have to do.

Good news about the schooling!

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Cowboy]

Are you going to stay put, Colton, or head to higher ground? If you riding it out, you got your water, food and batteries?

Carolyn Marie

For now the plans are to ride it out, but if the forecast track changes we are headin out.

but for the most part we are prepared. Plenty of water, canned goods, candles, and batteries.

We're mostly worried bout the trees fallin down on the house.

[Sally]

Well if you do have a truck, a boat or a helicopter come to rescue you I trust that you will know what to do - right?

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Donna Jean]

but for the most part we are prepared. Plenty of water, canned goods, candles, and batteries.

WHAT?

No Popcicles????

Be safe....ok?

Donna Jean

[JJ]

Hi Colton,

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. We had several tornado scares last spring. We had to be prepared to take shelter almost every night and keep emergency supplies ready--I remember how stressful that felt and it wasn't as long term as waiting for a hurricane.

Keep in touch and stay safe!

John

[Guest Opal]

Our thoughts are with you and your family, Colton.

Hugs,

Opal

[Guest Elizabeth K]

HURRICANE INFORMATION

Well Colton, I have ridden out several hurricanes in my life – and some really big ones, as you may recall I live in the New Orleans area. I was also a facilities manager for the local school system for several years so we had to manage our campuses through those storms. So I might be able to give you a few rules that we have learned to follow here.

Watch the approach carefully. Of course this is a no brainer. If it appears to be, or might be, a cat4 when it hits landfall, evacuate immediately. The roads will be almost impassable so allow 8 hours for every normal 1 hour of travel time for the first 100 miles. Know the local back roads and have detailed maps for bypassing the interstates when you can. You need to be out of the area at least 24 hours before it hits your area. Head inland, not to the side away from the storm as it can change paths. Finding a place to stay will be very difficult – so it is best to stay with a friend or relative. Deciding to evacate can be very tricky – so there just comes a time when you have to make a decision – and don’t wait too long - have a full tank of gasoline. It’s always better to go, than to EVER be in the path of a cat4!

If the eye is passing say 25 miles away on either side of you, there is an outside option to stay, although this can be dangerous. On the seaward side, if it passes to the north in your case, it’s going to put you on the southern side. This is the lesser wind damage side, but it is also the side with sudden wind shear and tornados, so you are in that danger. But the heavy rains are always to the left side as you face the seacoast, and winds will be extremely powerful and from the direct seaward side, east in your case. So cat4 winds will be really as predicted on the north side. On the other side, winds will whip counter over land before they hit you and will form in bands. You can expect about a third reduction in speed, so a 130 MPH wind will be more like 75 MPH gusting to 90 MPH, which is tree damaging weather, but not as dangerous.

If you are above 50 feet sea level you will not have a problem with the storm surge, unless you are near a sizable waterway. If you are in a lower area, consider evacuation. Heavy rains tend to flood from one side of you, and the other side where rivers run, will back-up because of the storm surge.

If things work as they usually do , a cat4 will reduce to a cat3 almost immediately when it hits solid land. A cat3 is still very dangerous, but is not usually a killer like the bigger storms. Also the size and width of the storm will show you where the rains are going to fall. If you are over 50 miles south away where the eye will pass, you should be okay. If you are 100 miles north away from where the eye is tracking, you should be okay. It is that in-between area that is so iffy.

Sometimes the storm will downgrade on its own. A cat2 storm is usually okay even if it goes right over you – the exception? if you live in an area that floods.

Rain quantities from a hurricane are unpredictable. During Katrina we had less than one inch. We also had 130 MPH winds that caused huge damages. I lived 50 miles from New Orleans at the time, and the storm eye passed 32 miles to the east of me, so I was on the lower damage side. I had no flooding because I was at 23’ above sea level, but the winds destroyed my home. 16K in damages, one car was destroyed by a fallen tree, we were without power for 10 days in the hottest part of the year.

My recommendation is to take these storms very seriously. It is the after affects as much as anything that causes the worst problems. If damages are significant in your area, you must have plenty of gasoline, as that is the key, as you may have to travel hundreds of miles to find supplies and food after. And all the gasoline stations will be out of service because of no power. Also, if your roof sustains damage, you will need those big blue tarps to keep out the weather. People tend to forget those things. And you may have batteries and a radio – but no broadcasting stations. TV was once attainable after storms, but the digital change-over has complicated that as the little battery powered TVs usually don’t work.

So I hope the storm diminishes, turns seaward, or goes elsewhere. I don’t wish a hurricane on ANYONE.

Best wishes

Elizabeth Anne

[Guest kelise]

Great thread idea JJ

I have nothing to share though

except for the fact my health textbook was talking about trans fat in the chapter i read last night,

and instead of putting the whole term trans fat in italics, they only italicized trans.

rather random observation there.

oh, they're talking about fat that USED to be muscle, but knew at an early age it was born in the wrong body, so it transitioned.

[Guest Donna Jean]

HURRICANE INFORMATION

So I hope the storm diminishes, turns seaward, or goes elsewhere. I don’t wish a hurricane on ANYONE.

Best wishes

Elizabeth Anne

Lizzy.....wonderful, yet scary info about a terrible possibility!

Thanks, Lizzy.....you rock!

LOVE

DSonna Jean

[JJ]

oh, they're talking about fat that USED to be muscle, but knew at an early age it was born in the wrong body, so it transitioned.

Good One Kelsie!

[Guest Katrina Reann]

Colton,

you are in prayers as well. Sounds like you are pretty prepared for it and please if it makes any sudden turns toward the coast please do get out of there quickly. I know right now is looks like it is going to skirt along the coast. But you know how unpredictable these things are. And if Earl is "skirting" does that mean he is a she?? huggsss...Katrina

[Guest Cowboy]

oh, they're talking about fat that USED to be muscle, but knew at an early age it was born in the wrong body, so it transitioned.

rofl. and it took me all this time to figure it out!

Thank you for the hurricane info Lizzy. We normally only get the strong tropical storms here, or just a fiizled out tropical depression, so that was much needed info.

And Dee Jay of course we have popsicles. we'd be unprepared if we didnt! lol.

Right now the storm is about 395 miles off shore from us, close but not to close. they expect it to re-strengthen back into a cat4 (right now its a cat 3) and make a slight shift northeast toward the carolinas. But ya never know how accurate those forecast models can be when it comes to acts of nature. We also have another storm to worry about right behind earl, that does pose the threat of headin right towards our shoreline. sheesh.

Lol Sally, believe me if i see a truck, boat, or helicopter im not stayin on the roof!

And Katrina, im not entirely sure if earl's "skirting" makes him female. could just mean he is a CD. lol.

[JJ]

Here you go Colton-I hope it works!!

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/images/CartoonHrcane.jpg

John

[Guest Donna Jean]

Here you go Colton-I hope it works!!

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/images/CartoonHrcane.jpg

John

LOL...hey!...Way funny, JJ...........

DSee Jay

[Guest Cowboy]

http://voices.washin...rtoonHrcane.jpg

rofl. that is too funny. and i got a few of those around here. hmmm... now only if i could fly a plane!

LOL...hey!...Way funny, JJ...........

DSee Jay

Dee Jay, you should know ive caught that by now. ive saw it both times. the other one was DSonna Jean lol.

Lol seeeee i been payin attention. I just didnt let ya know i was

[Guest Donna Jean]

Dee Jay, you should know ive caught that by now. ive saw it both times. the other one was DSonna Jean lol.

Lol seeeee i been payin attention. I just didnt let ya know i was

AHhhh POOP!

Not only do you catch the little bombs that I hide on purpose...you catch my mistakes, too.....

_{STOP THAT!}

Donna Jean

[Guest nelo]

Used the Men's Room for the first time (well, except when I was a kid). I couldn't find the women's room, and I had left to find one in the middle of class, and I was feeling quite sick, so... I just used the Men's room. No one was in there... or in the hallway... nothing eventful happened. Still, it was nice to think, "I think I pass well enough to use this bathroom instead..."

On the way out of class I found another Men's... but still no Women's. My college has oddly organized Restrooms.

[Guest Cowboy]

AHhhh POOP!

Not only do you catch the little bombs that I hide on purpose...you catch my mistakes, too.....

_{STOP THAT!}

Donna Jean

Aww sorrryyy. I'm just lookin out for ya.

I'll stop.

[JJ]

Colton,

Let us know how things came out w/ the storm when you get a chance. I know you didn't get a direct hit and it weakened so am hoping it wasn't too bad.

JohnJ

[Guest Cowboy]

Colton,

Let us know how things came out w/ the storm when you get a chance. I know you didn't get a direct hit and it weakened so am hoping it wasn't too bad.

JohnJ

Yeah earl just missed us. We got some bad winds and rough seas but that was bout it. The news made it sound a lot worse than what it was. Now we have 2 more behind that one to worry about.

[Guest Donna Jean]

Yeah earl just missed us. We got some bad winds and rough seas but that was bout it. The news made it sound a lot worse than what it was. Now we have 2 more behind that one to worry about.

Well, hunker down, Hon....

I don't want you to blow away!

Be safe....ok?

Donna Jean

[Guest Cowboy]

Hey Y'all!!

Been a good day for me today. Got my emails from school and the USCGA, talked my Paw Paw into takin me fishin, and ended up catchin the biggest fish ive ever caught today. Bonnethead shark. 44 inches long, a good 30-45 pounds at least. ive caught big fish, but mostly bass and whiting. this is the biggest one yet. Bonnetheads dont get over 3 to 4 foot big, with the biggest recorded one coming in at 5 ft, so this was almost a full grown shark i reeled in. And wow y'all im worn out. he put up one heck of a fight! Here's some pix

[Sally]

OK, Colton!

I'm impressed, nice catch.

Glad that Earl decided to miss you.

Love ya,

Sally

[JJ]

Whoa Colton-I am so jealous!

That has to be a real rush. Congrats!

JohnJ

[Guest Opal]

Nice Catch, Colton!