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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: clean on May 29, 2020, 09:18:47 AM

Title: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on May 29, 2020, 09:18:47 AM
The "official" start to hurricane season is only 48 hours away.
This year we have faced the added CV19 issues.  So the entire country has seen what it looks like when hurricane watches and warnings are issued! Shelves empty, prices rise, and people go nuts (more so than usual!)
In the CV19 panic buying the stores sold out of water (I have no idea why), soup (again, no power losses expected, so cooking is still possible) and TP (not usually a hurricane supply!)

So what are your stocks now?  Are you ready for a hurricane?  What changes have you made in your plans given the CV19?

I have too much food.  My freezers are usually close to empty, but both are now mostly full. IF I lose power for an extended period of time, I have a very small generator, but I suppose that I iwll have to power it up! 

Usually, my default plan is to evacuate!  Im not a pioneer!  I would rather not be without power (actually AC and TV) for 3 or 4 days in a boarded up house listening to my or my neighbors generators and fighting the influx of skeeters!  I dont want to wait in lines for gas and ice!  I d rather pay money to be 200 miles away and enjoy my "hurrication"  (trademark!)

THIS year, however, I think that my health might be better served staying put for a lower level category 1 or category 2 hurricane.  Im not crazy!!  I will always leave in front of a 3 or higher storm!  IF it is even possible that it will be a Major Hurricane, Im out of here with days to spare!  My neighbors can have my freezer contents, or whatever they can find in the house!! 

So with less than 48 hours until the "official start" (note that we have already named 2 storms already!)  Are You Set?

Even if you are not in a Hurricane Zone, ARE you set for whatever local emergencies could impact you?  Are you ready for Zombies? 
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on May 29, 2020, 09:21:32 AM
The CDC IS ready for Zombies:

https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/zombie/educate-checklist.htm

And if you google Zombie Kit several Amazon sites pop up! 

So No Excuses!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on May 29, 2020, 09:42:26 AM
Not in a hurricane zone, but we have lots of violent storms each year.  Any given household is likely to lose power two or three times a year, and the whole town at least once.  Tornadoes hit our county every year, but rarely in a populated area.  Some low-lying dwellings are vulnerable to flash flooding.

I've gone back and forth on whether to get a small generator.  So far all I've got is several flashlights--one hand-cranked--that I keep around the house and at work.  Rumors of bad weather sometimes cause runs on supplies at stores, but nothing like the shortages of certain things we've seen with COVID-19. 

TP now seems to be in good supply.  I guess everybody finally has as much of a stockpile as they feel they need.  Cleaning supplies are still hard to find.  Actual consumer use of them has gone up drastically, so naturally that's harder for manufacturers and suppliers to catch up with. 

You should try having to keep a business or institution that's open to the public stocked!  Every week or so I go on a scavenger hunt through several local stores trying to obtain wipes, disinfectant sprays, hand soap, and disposable gloves.  Only this morning a staff member got a hot tip regarding a shipment of wipes.  I sent her out with the company credit card to snag some.  We've been able to order adequate hand sanitizer from a regional supplier, but even they haven't had disinfectant sprays.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: Thursday's_Child on May 29, 2020, 10:14:58 AM
It's a good time to be thinking about hurricanes, since there have already been two named storms...
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: polly_mer on May 29, 2020, 12:27:33 PM
It's fire season here and we're ready.

However, everyone's fingers are crossed in the community because it's an anniversary of a memorable disaster and we don't know if all the changes will be enough while we're on lockdown.

We're much better prepared for zombies in this community than for hurricanes!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: onehappyunicorn on May 29, 2020, 01:33:06 PM
Hurricane season makes everyone around here nervous. While I'm far enough inland to usually avoid the worst of it I have volunteered several times in the last couple of years to go and help with cleanup down closer to the coast.
We have over a month's worth of dry food storage and probably a week's worth of water. I should probably go pick up some more water but it's such a pain to store. 
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on May 30, 2020, 12:04:10 PM
Strawberry Pop Tarts!

Included on the list of things that WalMart ships to stores in the impact zone is Strawberry Pop Tarts!  It seems that those are big items for storm preppers.

So... IF you are preparing for a hurricane OR Zombies, be sure to add them to your shopping list!

It is not too early to stock up on Campbells soup!  It should be back in stock now. 


In Zombie Land, one of the title characters craved Twinkies.  What should you make sure that you have in your containers to be sure that you are prepared for whatever you should prepare for?

I have 3 footlocker sized storage boxes filled with my hurricane supplies. They reside in my 'office' bedroom.  Where are your supplies stored?

(speaking of which... I should check the expiration dates on some of the things like batteries and glow sticks to be sure that Im not kicking myself soon!)
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: Vkw10 on May 30, 2020, 02:56:51 PM
Flash floods are an issue here, with mid-April to mid-June being the main season for flooding that knocks out power and causes blocked roads. I am prepared with water, batteries, oil lantern, and sandbags for entry doors.

I check supplies on New Year's Day. I also update my insurance photographs on New Year's Day, saving a set online and ordering prints which are mailed directly to brother for filing a thousand miles away. I just filed brother's latest set of set of insurance photographs. He lives in hurricane zone, so he updates them on my birthday in May.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: backatit on May 31, 2020, 07:34:30 AM
So there is a reason for Strawberry Pop Tarts. You cannot rot the things. I found a box (from one of the teenagers who is now in their 20's) in the back of the closet and popped it open the other day just to see what they were like after 10+ years in a closet. Yup, they are still fine. Cheap, sugar fuel that you can eat without electricity is prime hurricane supplies. White bread and peanut butter, too. Ick. I don't like any of it, so my hurricane supplies tend towards Campbells chunky soups, particularly sirloin burger, and spaghetios. For some reason I can eat both without heating them (they are both kind of gaggy but if you get hungry enough...). I also have boxes of clif bars - those are prime, though, and have to be rationed. Chips are good - you want stuff with a lot of salt to make you drink a lot, because it's hot hot hot. This year I have a screen tent (we already have a generator so the hack is you put a fan in the tent and it's not as bad to sleep in, if you can sleep through the unholy racket of the generator. Getting up at 4am to add gas isn't fun, either. I would be a lot happier if hurricane season came during the winter...
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on May 31, 2020, 08:49:29 AM
Raccoons apparently like Pop Tarts.  I once went camping and woke up in the morning to find that the Pop Tarts we'd planned to have for breakfast had all been eaten.  i assumed it was a raccoon because the packages had all been opened fairly neatly.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mamselle on May 31, 2020, 11:19:59 AM
Rascal and his buddies knew you were there....

M.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on June 02, 2020, 03:51:29 PM
Named Storm off Mexico. 

Current (probably unreliable) 5 day forecast shows that it could be somewhere between Houston and Mobile.  (The entire coastline of the  state of LA).

Are you ready?

How are your plans changing in these Covid19 Days?

Im in a hurricane zone.  My primary plan is evacuation.  However, the current forecast is calling for only a tropical storm by Sunday, so I would not be leaving for a tropical storm anyway.  However, these days, I may have to rethink my preliminary plans and make more plans to stay for a Cat 1 and even a Cat 2 storm.  Im still leaving for a 3 or above! 
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: Vkw10 on June 02, 2020, 06:21:50 PM
Where will you evacuate to? Family, friends, motel inland?

When Katrina hit, I was working about 150 miles north of the Gulf Coast, in an area that had spinoff tornadoes but didn't lose power. University opened a couple of empty dorms, scheduled for demolition, to evacuees associated with university: relatives of employees or students, alumni, people who heard radio announcement while driving north. I think the longest anyone stayed was two weeks, but the first couple of days those dorms had families with five or six people sharing two rooms with bathing facilities down the hall.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: Hibush on June 03, 2020, 08:19:31 AM
Not in a hurricane zone, tornado zone or wildfire zone.

There will likely be some periods of sunshine in the next few months, something we have not had since the middle of last year. So I am stocking up on sunscreen and making sure there are stores of water in the various places I might be.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on June 03, 2020, 10:19:23 AM
Tropical Storm Cristobal's remnants are forecast to hit us next week after moving inland.  Could be some heavy weather, which always means a possibility of power loss.  We're probably too far north to receive any evacuees, unless there's a real catastrophe south of us this season.  I hope for their sake that those along the Gulf don't have to evacuate for long in all this COVID-19 business.

We're already looking at rain in the coming days.  If we get a lot of it, the downpours from Cristobal might hit an already saturated situation.  That would be a mess for low-lying spots in town.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: Volhiker78 on June 03, 2020, 12:09:38 PM
We stock up our water jugs when storms approach. Have never evacuated in the 8 years we have lived in Florida but I wouldn't hesitate to do so if ordered to.  If we have to evacuate, I'd probably first take us to my office which is on higher ground and has a large interior area. Also, power rarely goes out.  I need to get boss' permission to do so during Covid times but I've been to my office a few times since March and no one is there. 
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on June 08, 2020, 07:38:36 AM
Looks like Cristobal hasn't hit the Gulf coast as badly as it could have.  There have still been flooding, tornadoes, and a couple of young boys killed.

Up here we're having a morning of heavy rains.  No flooding or power outages locally that I'm aware of.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mythbuster on June 08, 2020, 08:37:23 AM
It's been a heavy rain weekend here from bands of Cristobal. The one creek on the edge of town that always floods has flooded again. There was a movement after Irma to try and buy out the houses along that one creek and convert it to conservation land. But of course, the people who live there are just the type who would fight that level of government interference in a loud and ugly way. So now when that creek floods, even the local news doesn't pay it too much attention.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: hmaria1609 on August 02, 2020, 01:21:10 PM
*bumping an old thread*

Tropical Storm Isaias is heading up the eastern seaboard--lots of rain and flooding predicted for the DC area:
https://wtop.com/weather-news/2020/08/tropical-storm-isaias-expected-to-bring-heavy-rain-flood-threat-to-dc-region/ (https://wtop.com/weather-news/2020/08/tropical-storm-isaias-expected-to-bring-heavy-rain-flood-threat-to-dc-region/)
Stay safe and dry!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: RatGuy on August 03, 2020, 06:08:05 AM
Quote from: clean on June 02, 2020, 03:51:29 PM
Named Storm off Mexico. 

Current (probably unreliable) 5 day forecast shows that it could be somewhere between Houston and Mobile.  (The entire coastline of the  state of LA).


I was living in Mississippi when The Weather Channel referred to Hurricane Isaac's probable landfall as "That land mass between New Orleans and Mobile." Oh, you mean Mississippi?

I was in Baton Rouge when Katrina hit, and that land mass between New Orleans and Mobile when both Gustav and Isaac hit. After that, the family moved away from the Gulf Coast and into a tornado zone.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: ab_grp on August 03, 2020, 09:23:20 AM
I don't live in a hurricane or tropical storm zone any more (fire zone, though), but my mom still lives there, and I always worry about her.  My daughter and my ex both used to live nearby, but both have moved away, and my brother is not too far but unreliable and doesn't have a car anyway.  Mom is not great about preparations.  She does not charge anything.  But, at least she had most of the trees I grew up with cut down after the high winds of Irene and Sandy drove her nuts.  That area typically has power outages whenever there is enough wind to bring branches down (let alone trees) because the infrastructure is lacking and there are too many big old trees.  We've had plenty of losses for 4 or so days and 10 for Sandy.  She keeps saying she will get a generator.  She is not near enough to any waterways to have to worry about flooding (though the town will), but she too often gets water coming in after it flows down from her neighbor's yard into hers when there is a good amount of rain.  Anyway, I will be monitoring things as usual and hope all in the path stay safe and take care.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on August 03, 2020, 02:01:35 PM
In the last 2 weeks, family members have been through both Hannah and I(whatever).  Fortunately, the worst that anyone had to deal with was an electrical outage for about an hour.  (Far enough from Hannah to have some wind, but South Texas had a practice run with Harvey 2 years ago (or was it 3?) so they have new roofs and updated power lines.

My parents dealt with izzy this weekend.  It was far enough off shore that they did not even get a lot of rain!

Hopefully, my friends in SC will not feel her wrath!

For me?  I am very well stocked. I have almost a full case of TP! (That most precious of commodities in today's world!!!)
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: dismalist on August 03, 2020, 02:05:54 PM
What are those large drops of water doing on my windows and how did they get there?
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on August 21, 2020, 09:19:45 AM
It looks like next week will be busy for the Gulf Coast!  One storm (not yet named) is looking to come in between Texas and LA, while the other, a day later will come in between FL and LA.  I dont remember seeing 2 storms come in so close in space and time!  If these are stronger storms, it will mean a very large swath of the South will be without electricity for a while.  When the area is going to be so large, those electric company emergency pacts (where they send their crews to the disaster area) wont do much good when so many of the companies are hurt at the same time.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on August 21, 2020, 10:13:13 AM
Quote from: clean on August 21, 2020, 09:19:45 AM
It looks like next week will be busy for the Gulf Coast!  One storm (not yet named) is looking to come in between Texas and LA, while the other, a day later will come in between FL and LA.  I dont remember seeing 2 storms come in so close in space and time!  If these are stronger storms, it will mean a very large swath of the South will be without electricity for a while.  When the area is going to be so large, those electric company emergency pacts (where they send their crews to the disaster area) wont do much good when so many of the companies are hurt at the same time.

No wonder we've got so much rain in the extended forecast here inland!  Hopefully the storms will turn out not to be powerful enough to cause truly vast outages.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: downer on August 21, 2020, 10:48:58 AM
You did see the updated predictions that we will get twice as many hurricanes this year as normal, right? I heard we can expect 5 major hurricanes to hit the mainland.

I will be somewhat surprised if this semester even completes at all. Maybe we will just stop half way through.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mythbuster on August 21, 2020, 02:54:05 PM
The next 4 names on the official list are Laura, Marco, Nana, and Omar. For some reason that group just has a bad ring about it to me.  I'll be wishing for these to all dissipate.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: AvidReader on August 22, 2020, 06:13:23 AM
We have just moved to hurricane land, and I see that two are headed straight towards us. I have found the governor's official list (water, medicine, glasses, blankets, etc). Spouse is an essential worker, so we are unlikely to leave however bad it gets. Is there anything that we should know/prepare that isn't on the published list? Hurricanes are completely new to me.

(Mythbuster: Laura, Marco, Nana, & Omar should be the stars of a unique heist movie.)

AR
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: polly_mer on August 22, 2020, 06:48:27 AM
We're downwind of so many wildfires at this point that we're under air quality advisories and the sun hasn't really been out for a full day for more than a week.

Nothing is close enough to us to even discuss evacuation, but the air tastes bad even inside.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on August 22, 2020, 09:05:49 AM
Try this:

https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/zombie/educate-checklist.htm

I grew up in Florida. I have lived in a Hurricane zone most of my life.  IF you have ever been camping, then you have most of what you need.  Remember, you only need it, if/when you need it.

Most of the things you should already have, or at least keep stocked in your house.

You said that you are in the 'duel area' so that limits you to being between (more or less)  Houston to New Orleans.  You note that your spouse is an essential worker.  The good news is that You are not! Make reservations, especially if you have kids for somewhere safe. 

When it is about 5 days out I make 3 different hotel reservations.  Many places (LaQuinta is my preference) will allow you to cancel the reservation until 6 pm on the day of the reservation.  I make one reservation to the South (or West), one to the North (or East) and one inland.  IF the storm is looking to hit my city from the South(or West)  I go North (or East).  IF it will come in North (East) of me, then I go south.  IF uncertain, then I can go inland. 

Do not fall for buying bottled water.  Simply start storing water while it is free from the tap!  (Reuse the bottles you already have).
Fill the tub with water.  You can flush your toilet by taking a small bucket (like a mop bucket's amount ) of water and quickly pouring it into the toilet.  (Try it once!!)

Make sure that you have plenty of unrefrigerated food.  (and be sure you have a manual can opener). 

get batteries and flash lights.  Get a radio that runs on batteries (or the hand cranked kind).

IF you think that you will be out of power a while, get a propane powered camp stove.  (Get matches or a lighter).  (But if you need these, you may have been better off evacuating!!)

Start now to fill your freezer with ice.  You can use those bottles of water to start filling up the empty space.  But dont put them all in there at one time!  It takes a lot of time and energy to freeze a bunch of water.  (I have fulled cups from Circle K with water and frozen them. They will break when the water expands, but seldom leak when freezing, and then you will have a 32 or 44 ounce block of ice! 

IF you are out of power for a while, you can move those frozen bottles from the freezer to the top of your fridge to keep it cooler.  (and as they melt they provide cold drinking water!!)

I have a small generator (an expensive, Honda generator that is designed to run quiet and produces a pure sine wave current so I wont burn up electronics)and capacity to store 20 gallons of gas.  (enough for 3 full days). In addition, I have a small window AC.  IF the power is out for a long time, the AC can be powered by the generator at night.  The last think you want is to be out of power, after a storm fighting the skeeters and the heat.    BUT this is a luxury.

I have 3 foot locker sized boxes that house my hurricane supplies.  I rotate the batteries and any food items stored in there every June 1. 

IF you have youngins, get games that they can play.  Get a battery powered lantern (again, in the camping supplies area). 

You will want to Board up IF you are in the zone likely to get hurricane force winds.  Do not bother taping your windows.  Your windows are not the kind that will shatter unless they are like 30 years old! 

As Tuesday seems to be the day of interest, begin to empty your fridge now (and fill the empty space with water bottles to keep the fridge cool.  At least cook what you can cook now. That way you will only have to reheat it, and not worry about cooking. 


In summary, I will tell you that Plan A is to leave!  I would not have made a good pioneer.  I have grown too accustomed to electricity. Plan A is to just leave. My neighbors can have whatever remains of my supplies that they can find!  I can make my way back when the electricity has resumed, when the lines for food and ice have subsided and I can get gas. 

I dont evacuate for tropical storms, or weak Cat 1 Storms, but remember that the storm intensity is not well modeled and storms can and DO strengthen quickly.  (My brother thought that Hurricane Harvey (google it) would be a tropical storm, but it strengthened to a Cat 3 just before coming ashore near Corpus Christi (when it was too late to take action!).


Good luck!  At this point, the current forecasts show that Marco will not be much more than a tropical storm by landfall, and that Laura will not be too strong.  It will suck if they come ashore at the same location a day or 2 apart!  But if that extremely rare (unheard of) event, buy a lottery ticket on the way out of town!!

But get busy NOW to get what you think you will  need. The stores are ALREADY packed!  Trust me !!

Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on August 22, 2020, 09:10:00 AM
https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/zombie/index.htm

There is a 'graphic novel' too!! 
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: AvidReader on August 22, 2020, 10:55:58 AM
Oh, clean, this is amazing! Thank you!

I am indeed in the TX-LA curve. We don't have children, so I was hoping to stick it out with spouse to be a support network. Spouse can sleep at work in a real emergency, but it's better/nicer to be in one's own bed, and spouse does not have much free time (to cook, for instance) on work days. But the refundable reservations is a great idea if everything goes very badly.

We are avid campers but moved here in a single car (which we share, which adds excitement to evacuation), so the camping stuff and our usual resources did not come with us. But that gives me a good idea of what to get/plan. Hopefully the worst storm will just cause 3-7 days of "camping." I grew up on a farm, so I'm familiar with power outages, but hadn't thought of freezing our water (amazing tip! Thank you!). We do usually do the bathtub trick when we know outages might come.

I was wondering about the windows and will talk to my landlord. Our house is definitely vintage and I have no idea how old the windows are, but I also know it has survived a number of recent hurricanes.

Thank you again!

Polly, I hope the wildfires subside soon.

AR.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: polly_mer on August 22, 2020, 02:15:31 PM
One amendment to clean's advice: only use containers for potable water that are meant to be used that way, especially for storage.  The bathtub is probably not clean enough for drinking water, but is good enough for toilet flushes and hand washing.

Don't refill with drinking water plastic two-liter or gallon jugs that came originally filled with some other beverage.

As a long-term preparedness, be sure to completely replace any plastic emergency water bottles every year.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: AvidReader on August 22, 2020, 04:31:57 PM
Thanks, Polly! My bathtub is definitely not clean enough to drink out of.

I'm curious about this:
Quote from: polly_mer on August 22, 2020, 02:15:31 PM
Don't refill with drinking water plastic two-liter or gallon jugs that came originally filled with some other beverage.

I grew up on a farm with a mother who rinsed out every gallon jug we ever got (milk, iced tea, orange juice), refilled them with water, and stuck them in a parade down the steps to the basement. We didn't drink from them because we had iffy well water and didn't drink that water in general, but we certainly used that water to brush our teeth and (I think) boiled it for cooking! I would have thought that washing out an iced tea jug and refilling with potable tap water would be fine--why is it not?

AR.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: polly_mer on August 22, 2020, 05:25:11 PM
The chemical aging aspect of the plastic (it's weakened by storing acids and bases in it as well as being exposed to ultraviolet light) and the fact that people tend to not do enough to make the plastic sterile and absolutely clean are concerns.

Thus, you have possibly three problems.

1) Leeching of the plasticizers into your 'clean' water and that won't be fixed by boiling.  The 'fresh' liquid you purchased probably doesn't get much plasticizer, but storing new liquids for long term in the bottles where the polished inner surface has already been exposed is likely to pick up more plasticizer.  I would drink that water over immediate dehydration, but it's not good for you.  If you've heard of BPA, then that's one specific plasticizer.

2) Rinsing the containers even with dish soap is unlikely to result in a sterile container.  It's pretty easy to leave a thin coating of, say, milk or pop that will support bacterial growth.  It probably won't kill you, but it can be unhappy tummies if that's all your drinking water for several days.

3) Those weakened containers will allow the water to evaporate out long term.  It's entirely possible to have the back containers be half empty when you get to them.  That's true even if you buy fresh and store it long term; it's an even shorter shelf life for a used container.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: AvidReader on August 23, 2020, 06:42:09 AM
Fascinating! Thanks so much--I learned something very useful today!
AR.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mamselle on August 23, 2020, 09:07:10 AM
Thinking of all those in the impending landfall areas.

Get out if you need to.

Don't try to be a hero and make someone else become one to save you.

Be safe.

All good thoughts.

M.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on August 24, 2020, 12:16:18 PM
As Marco fizzles, Laura ramps up.

I hope that everyone in the LA/TX border area are ready!  It is not too late to get ready! Better to be ready than not!

After this weeks' events, I hope that everyone takes stock of their plans and supplies. The best time to stock up is before there is a need and a 'run' on the stores.  (A speaking of a run, you may as well stock up on TP, which has for some reason been the most important disaster commodity!  the best news is that it doesnt have an expiration date!)

good luck to all!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: hmaria1609 on August 24, 2020, 03:15:43 PM
Stay safe and please keep us posted!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on August 25, 2020, 12:48:22 PM
This Laura storm is looking bad.  It has already killed a number of people in the Caribbean.  On Thursday we're projected to have fix or six inches of rain, high winds, and possible tornadoes--and we're hundreds of miles inland.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on August 25, 2020, 12:54:29 PM
I have not seen the projections lately, but I saw that the projects of early yesterday were for a Major Hurricane (a level 3, or a very, very strong 2).  Frankly, IF I were in the area that was in the Cone of Death with expectations of a Major Hurricane, THIS IS EXACTLY the time I would be leaving for another place.  Dallas is not too far to go for a few days!  (and as the plan is for the storm to head East after that, I would not be heading that way).
  Just get in the car and go!  No need to dawdle!  Go while the weather is not too terrible. 
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: AmLitHist on August 25, 2020, 03:07:56 PM
Adding my good thoughts and best wishes to all who look to be affected by Laura.  They say we may get some good rain from it here in central/southern IL, depending on the track.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on August 25, 2020, 04:23:59 PM
My local news is indicating that Laura might be a Cat 4 by the time it comes ashore.  IF I were in the neighborhood, I would absolutely be leaving now! 

IF you are in the area of the storm's crossing the shoreline, find another place to be.  Even if your spouse has a critical job, S/he would probably sleep better knowing you are safer in another city.

Good luck!!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: Vkw10 on August 25, 2020, 05:11:18 PM
We had a dorm scheduled to be demolished until someone realized we could use it for overflow quarantine space. We have evacuated students from one of our system institutions moving into it tonight.

Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: AvidReader on August 25, 2020, 05:24:02 PM
Thank you, clean! I have just realized that while spouse qualifies to stay during mandatory evacuations (or would have qualified in the last one in this town), I do not, so we are revising the (my) potential evacuation plan accordingly. At the moment, we are out of the direct path, but watching the radar very carefully indeed.

AR.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: ab_grp on August 26, 2020, 10:55:23 AM
I hope you stay safe, folks in Laura's path! This does not look good. 
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on August 26, 2020, 11:45:14 AM
Laura is going to be a huge disaster for TX/LA and not just on the coast!  Hopefully, people all across the multi state path are taking precautions!

"unsurvivable storm surge" 

good luck to all. Hopefully anyone in the neighborhood of this storm has prepared and even found safety elsewhere.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: polly_mer on August 27, 2020, 06:16:54 AM
Is everyone OK this morning?
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on August 27, 2020, 08:06:20 AM
Our inland state is now experiencing its first-ever tropical storm warning.  It's still that strong as it heads our way.  We're already getting heavy rains and gusts.  My parents are more in the projected path of the storm center.  They've already been warned to expect up to several days of power outage.  The family generator is fueled up and checked out. 

Where I am the schools are considering letting out early.  I can't rule out that we might have to close down here at work as well.

Horrifying to think that we're still getting only the remnants of this storm.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mamselle on August 27, 2020, 08:36:19 AM
Thinking of everyone who needs to be thought of...it looks as if the spread as well as the strength are indeed much larger than usual.

Get out safely, early, wherever and whenever you can.

M.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: AvidReader on August 27, 2020, 09:58:44 AM
So far so good here: wind and heavy rain and some partially flooded streets, with the wing and rain continuing at various intensities for most of the morning, but spouse made it to work today, our road is still passable, and the lights and internet are both still on. We are so grateful to have been out of Laura's direct path. Hope everyone else is safe as well.

AR.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on August 31, 2020, 08:44:46 AM
We got much more than we bargained for here!  Our inland state received its first-ever official tropical storm warning.  And the center of the track passed closer to us than anticipated.  Our library was blacked out Thursday.  We didn't get the power back on until well into Saturday.  We only got phones and internet running a few minutes ago.

It could have been worse.  The assorted trees that fell didn't land on houses.  One house several blocks from mine did burn down Saturday when the power was restored to that block and the sudden surge, added to their generator, blow up their circuit box.  That's something for anybody who uses a generator to bear in mind.  They have to be wired with proper fail-safes to prevent disaster if the grid power is unexpectedly restored.

How did the coast fare?  I haven't yet had a chance to catch up on the news.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on August 31, 2020, 08:54:37 AM
Quotepower was restored to that block and the sudden surge, added to their generator, blow up their circuit box.  That's something for anybody who uses a generator to bear in mind.  They have to be wired with proper fail-safes to prevent disaster if the grid power is unexpectedly restored.

IF the extra surge of current added to the generator, then they were not isolated and were likely sending power back down the line... a danger to the linesmen working! 

IF their circuit box is gone, then they will not be improperly connected to the grid now!  Maybe they will learn from their incompetence!  Yes, the proper isolation connection should be installed by an electrician (and isnt cheap), but it is cheaper than a new circuit box and replacing whatever appliances blew up as well!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on August 31, 2020, 09:19:09 AM
Quote from: clean on August 31, 2020, 08:54:37 AM
Quotepower was restored to that block and the sudden surge, added to their generator, blow up their circuit box.  That's something for anybody who uses a generator to bear in mind.  They have to be wired with proper fail-safes to prevent disaster if the grid power is unexpectedly restored.

IF the extra surge of current added to the generator, then they were not isolated and were likely sending power back down the line... a danger to the linesmen working! 

IF their circuit box is gone, then they will not be improperly connected to the grid now!  Maybe they will learn from their incompetence!  Yes, the proper isolation connection should be installed by an electrician (and isnt cheap), but it is cheaper than a new circuit box and replacing whatever appliances blew up as well!

Well...in this case they've lost the entire house.  Roof fallen in and everything.  Apparently the circuit box blew in the middle of the night, and they didn't wake up and notice until it was too late to save anybody but the family themselves.  They have four children.  They're only one of three households that have been burned out locally over the weekend.  A grease fire in an apartment also destroyed two units there.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mamselle on August 31, 2020, 09:55:18 AM
Those losses are regrettable, no matter what caused them.

I'm glad no-one was killed.

I hope the individuals involved have help and support...it sounnds like, as you've described your connuminty, they will.

M.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on August 31, 2020, 10:07:40 AM
Quote from: mamselle on August 31, 2020, 09:55:18 AM
Those losses are regrettable, no matter what caused them.

I'm glad no-one was killed.

I hope the individuals involved have help and support...it sounnds like, as you've described your connuminty, they will.

M.

Yes, churches and local businesses are mobilizing.  A local furniture store is receiving donated items on behalf of those who need them.

The town has also been providing help to evacuees from farther south.  They came up here to escape the hurricane, and found themselves caught in the midst of power and internet outages!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on September 16, 2020, 08:48:45 AM
Sally made land fall today as a Category 2 storm.  Headlines show estimates for 30 inches of rain across the region!  I hope that everyone is safe and stays healthy.

Good Luck
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mamselle on September 16, 2020, 10:38:53 AM
Agreed.

M.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: spork on September 17, 2020, 03:19:00 AM
Currently listening to radio interviews of people who fled their homes or were rescued from them during Sally. The interviewer is consistently failing to ask the question "Why didn't you evacuate when you had the chance?"
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on September 17, 2020, 08:44:21 AM
I havent seen what you are watching, but after Katrina, I had a better appreciation for that question. Many people just dont have the money to fill up the tank, buy food on the road and stay in a hotel for a few days.
Others didnt expect that the water would go up  so much.  Remember much of Katrina was a flood and less of a hurricane event.  The flood was not expected and they made it through the storm.

Now, we have the added risk of CV19, so while I may not evacuate from a 1, or a low 2 in my area, I certainly would not IF I had to risk my life against the virus.  And IF I had not expected the flooding that followed 30 inches of rain, I may have been stuck. 
Frankly, My current area is in a Flood Zone C and I really dont know what that means. I know where the creek is that MIGHT flood me, but it is not exactly close to my house, and I dont really know what it would take to have flood damage.  I dont know if Zone C is a 100, 200 or 500 year event, ON PAPER. 
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on September 17, 2020, 09:40:34 AM
Quote from: clean on September 17, 2020, 08:44:21 AM
I havent seen what you are watching, but after Katrina, I had a better appreciation for that question. Many people just dont have the money to fill up the tank, buy food on the road and stay in a hotel for a few days.
Others didnt expect that the water would go up  so much.  Remember much of Katrina was a flood and less of a hurricane event.  The flood was not expected and they made it through the storm.

Same here.  We're a small town hundreds of miles to the north of New Orleans, and we saw hundreds of Katrina evacuees.  Louisiana's evacuation plan consisted basically of telling everybody to get in their cars and start driving.  The people we saw had all had the resources--reliable cars and the ability to drive long distances, and some money in the bank--to get this far.  It didn't take many days at all before those resources started giving out for some.  We had to mobilize a serious local relief effort to help them out.  Again, these were NOT the poor folks who had been living in the Katrina-affected area.  Small wonder so many didn't evacuate at all. 

For some, there's also a strong psychological barrier to evacuation.  A lot of communities in Louisiana--urban and rural alike--are remarkably insular.  There are places there where it's said only half-jokingly that one needs a passport to visit.  Where they grew up is their whole world.  They don't have family or friends elsewhere.  They've been surviving storms all their lives.  All of that tends to foster a strong mentality of "ride it out here no matter what, and don't take your chances somewhere else."
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on September 18, 2020, 07:56:46 AM
We have used up this year's name list. Next up is the Greek Alphabet!  It will likely start with the storm in the Gulf of Mexico.


I wonder.... If a storm is big and powerful enough /does enough damage, the NHC retires the name.  I wonder if this holds for the Greek Alphabet?  Could the name "Hurricane Beta" be retired?
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: AvidReader on September 18, 2020, 04:45:46 PM
I have been wondering the same thing about the Greek Alphabet names, clean! It would be so odd to skip Greek letters in subsequent years.

Spouse wants to know what alphabet they will go to if they happen to make it through the Greek letters.

AR.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: polly_mer on September 18, 2020, 04:59:09 PM
Quote from: AvidReader on September 18, 2020, 04:45:46 PM
Spouse wants to know what alphabet they will go to if they happen to make it through the Greek letters.

Can we vote for Cyrillic?
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on October 06, 2020, 07:31:17 PM
Once More Into the Breach!

Delta is  eyeing the same haunts as her predecessors this summer, it seems! 

Friday/Saturday should be pretty bad days for  those between the TX/LA border to the MS/AL line.

Delta is now a Category 4 and is expected to be a Major Storm (at least a Category 3 storm) as it approaches the area.

Get ready, if you live in the area, and my personal advice is GET OUT! 

I was reminded, recently, about a Karate Kid quote.  The best defense, according to Mr. Miyagi, "No Be There!"

I recommend a weekend in Houston or Dallas... somewhere other than LA.

Good luck to all making preparations!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mamselle on October 06, 2020, 09:24:44 PM
Not quite apropos of the current hurricanes, but it is about serious windstorms... the <<tempete>> in France in 1999 (juste avant l'an deux mille, as people always say when talking about it).

I just spent the last hour and a half watching this:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_iWItrslz4

I didn't mean to watch the whole thing, but I couldn't click off.

I had been in Paris the week after the storm hit that year, and the film is so well-done in showing all the different aspects of a serious storm. (en francais)

One of the main take-aways was that in the second storm, they had much more notice, and gave more severe warnings, earlier on--and yet there were almost as many deaths as in the storm on the previous week, because people insisted on going out to "look at the waves" or "watch the trees fall."

M.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on October 07, 2020, 06:39:55 AM
Quote from: clean on October 06, 2020, 07:31:17 PM
Once More Into the Breach!

Delta is  eyeing the same haunts as her predecessors this summer, it seems! 

Friday/Saturday should be pretty bad days for  those between the TX/LA border to the MS/AL line.

Delta is now a Category 4 and is expected to be a Major Storm (at least a Category 3 storm) as it approaches the area.

Get ready, if you live in the area, and my personal advice is GET OUT! 

I was reminded, recently, about a Karate Kid quote.  The best defense, according to Mr. Miyagi, "No Be There!"

I recommend a weekend in Houston or Dallas... somewhere other than LA.

Good luck to all making preparations!

Every time we've gotten rain in the last several months it has been hurricane remnants.  Looks like we're going to escape the damaging winds this far inland and to the west.  We'll probably have evacuees.  We'll need to remember to stay in touch with the city to see whether any of them need our services.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: AvidReader on October 08, 2020, 04:38:58 AM
I've been here eight weeks, and I am so tired of hurricanes. And I am aching for the people in Lake Charles, who haven't recovered from the last one.

AR.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on October 08, 2020, 07:49:46 AM
Quote from: AvidReader on October 08, 2020, 04:38:58 AM
I've been here eight weeks, and I am so tired of hurricanes. And I am aching for the people in Lake Charles, who haven't recovered from the last one.

AR.

Yes.  It's awful to see reports of people who have just started to get back home having to evacuate again.

It's looking like our region may be experiencing another inland tropical storm within the next day or so.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mamselle on October 08, 2020, 09:00:16 AM
I'm hearing from friends in northern Mississippi that they have had a lot of rain and wind as well.

They seem to have made it through OK, thank goodness.

M.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on October 09, 2020, 07:25:07 AM
Ripples at my feet
Rain-scented winds sweep the pond
Clouds hide the dawn sky
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: hmaria1609 on October 11, 2020, 03:39:28 PM
We're getting soaked with the remnants of Delta here in the metro DC area now. The rain will last into tomorrow.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on October 12, 2020, 07:51:20 AM
We had power outages here over the weekend.  They were not as widespread as last time, but included my house and place of work.  Also lots of trees down, and at least three cars crushed by falling trees.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on October 26, 2020, 03:48:24 PM
QuoteOnce More Into the Breach!

Here we go again!! 

good luck to LA, yet again! 

(And the Breach has got to be tired of us getting in there)!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: apl68 on October 27, 2020, 07:08:25 AM
At least it appears the Lake Charles area will not be hit yet again.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: spork on November 03, 2020, 02:47:22 PM
Eta has made landfall in Nicaragua. Expect lots of destruction in Central America. Projections predict the storm will turn NE and possibly cross Cuba and then hit Florida.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: spork on November 07, 2020, 03:02:09 AM
A former student of mine is a government official in her home country in Central America. She says parts of the area are seeing 40 inches of rain from Eta. Massive flooding, mudslides, lots of destruction. Eta is predicted to strengthen back to hurricane strength as it moves NE toward Florida.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mamselle on November 16, 2020, 08:35:41 AM
Iota is a category 5 approaching Nicaragua:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPuVuI-YpqI

Up to 40 inches rainfall in the Honduras mountains predicted, or possible....

The strength of the winds may go down to category 4 but the rainfall is the greatest threat, and that won't change. Abutting areas like Belize, above the landfall are, and Panama, below it, are also looking at serious rainfall as well, although not as much.

And all of this is on top of Eta's devastation as noted above; water control defenses have been stripped out and have not yet been able to be repaired. Landslides and flooding are expected and evacuation orders are being issued. Two November storms in the same region are highly unusual, and the infrastructure has been strained to the breaking point.

The commentators are urging people to be prepared by this afternoon or tonight, when travel will no longer be possible..."You won't get another chance to do so in another couple of hours," as one said.

The next reconnaissance fly-through is in less than an hour; the latest barometric reading is the lowest, i.e., the strongest storm of the year. The latest recon flight found hail in the eye, which is very unusual, per the commentators (I'm really impressed with the way they're responding to questions and explaining things).

M.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: spork on November 16, 2020, 09:45:56 AM
Coastal Nicaragua is going to be totally destroyed.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: mamselle on November 16, 2020, 06:41:26 PM
Yes, they're now calling for landfall by 10:30 PM EST, and one commentator said that some people, who had been evacuated from Eta and told not to return home did so, and may not now be able to be evacuated again because of the condition of the roads, transportation vehicles, etc.

The landslides and loss of power are still unresolved from the previous storm and now this.

M.
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on November 17, 2020, 08:08:31 AM
Not yet showing on the NHC page, but the local news last night showed that there is a 40% chance that yet another storm will develop and threaten that area again in the next 10 days!

As bad as it may have been in  the Lake Charles, LA area this year, at least they have infrastructure and resources to quickly restore them.  They didnt have mountains of mud flowing down on them! AND then within 2 weeks a Cat 5 storm!!

What a year!
Title: Re: Preparing for Hurricane Season 2020
Post by: clean on November 17, 2020, 06:44:57 PM
Cat 5 storm name can not be retired!

"When Atlantic Hurricane Season 2020 shifted into overdrive in September and forced the National Hurricane Center to turn to the Greek alphabet for naming, meteorologists expressed concerns. Tradition had it that storms whose impact was "particularly deadly or costly" would have their names retired and replaced. But the World Meteorological Organization ruled that Greek letters could never be retired, lest an irreplaceable chunk be taken out of the alphabet. Now, that 2006 ruling is being tested after Eta's and Iota's deadly impact in Central America."

This answers a question from higher up in the thread.