Stay safe everyone! And those in the path, please keep checking in when you can so we know you are ok.

500 more miles to go until I reach Distribution Center which will put me smack dab in middle of it. Lol.

Am hoping it will take a last minute turn too and not just for my sake but for everyone who will be in it's path.



Keeping Fingers Crossed,
Brute.

I feel like by tomorrow I'll have a better idea of what to expect.
I lucked out during Irene. I had a foot of flooding, but that was nothing compared to many towns just a few miles from me. Our farms are just scratching the surface of recovering from major disasters last year and I worry more for them than I do for myself.

I'll be bringing in my lawn furniture, have food in the house, need to get some batteries. I landlord a house with two apartments so I'm trying to make sure they are ready too, having lawn furniture in, etc.

Think I'll use the morning tomorrow to finish catching up on laundry. The freezing bags of water idea was great- thanks for that. I can do that.

The kid and I both have a stack of books from the library, head lamps, and a dog to keep us warm.

Think I'll be good...

Never did I think I would see this...
 

If you're a hurricane/nor'easter virgin, please please please stay completely away from The Weather Channel and weather.com, as well as away from local news stations except to find out thing such as closings, local government declarations, etc. graphics such as this ine are a perfect example of the extreme degree that those places will sensationalize tpepwhat is going on, because they will make more money if they can scare the crap out of you and keep you glued to their channel.

Instead go directly to the national hurricane canter and get the real updates - www.nhc.noaa.gov. Wunderground.com is also good at not sensationalizing it, and I regularly read Dr. Jeff Matthews blog for analysis (link on first page). Yes, this is a potentially serious storm, but no need to try and figure out what's really going in from the company that has been caught with some of their reporters pretending to be struggling against a stein wind for the camera!

Don't forget pet food!

If you have a well, or you are in an area that uses pumped water instead of a gravity-based system, fill the tub full with water in addition typo the drinking water that you have saved, because you may need that for flushing your toilet.

Once the storm starts, nplug ALL non-critical electronics and appliances. It's not lightning that present the bigges risk, it's power fluctuations and "brown outs" which are common in big storms.

If you are a multi cell phine house, if the power goes out, keep only one on at a time and really conserve the battery in that one. If you have a land-line and don't already have a regular corded phone that doesn't have to be plugged in, get one.

Fill a cooler with ice and put your "can't live without these things" essentials In it, then if the power goes out, do not open your fridge/freezer for any reason! also helps to completely pack your freezer with ice - just fill up a bunch of plastic containers, water/soda bottles, or anything else that will hold water

If you have kids there, think through in advance about games and activities. Buy several things for them that you can pull out one at a time while the weather is out to help alleviate boredom and stress.

Buy nutella and wine. ;)

Dang. I do not have nutella or wine!
Have pet food but should probably get more.
I don't know, I look at one report and we're going to get blasted and another and we're going to be on the outskirts.
Hard to say.

Stay safe everyone!

This is the Current projected tracking map, showing it coming through there as tropical storm. Looks like it wouldn't hurt to be fairly well prepared.

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical...1218_5day.html

Been tracking with the NHC as well. Seems they havent changed much in the forecast or the projected path. Speed is picking up as expected. Still expected to make a dramatic hook west just south of here. High wind warnings and coastal flooding warnings are up here.

Am used to nor'easters and tropical storms. Have been having a lot of wind storms lately so much of the weakened tree stuff has already fallen. The leaves have been dropping like crazy all week long.

Living on the coast, you always adhere to the old beliefs (which this storm seems determined to blow right out of the water - no pun intended):

1. the water isnt warm enough to sustain a hurricane. Going to have to rethink that one. LOL.

2. follow the lead of the fishermen. They hunkered down days ago.

3. the east side (right) has the higher winds, the west side (left) has more rain.

A hurricane is a whirling mass of thunderstorms that spins counterclockwise. As a hurricane moves, the wind on its right side blows in the direction of the storm's motion. That means a hurricane packing 100 mph winds and moving at 20 mph has a combined wind of 120 mph on that side of the storm. It also means that the forward motion of 20 mph takes away from the opposing wind on the left side of the storm: 100 mph - 20 mph = 80 mph. In this example, that's a 40 mph difference in wind from one side of the storm to the other. The forward motion has no effect on the wind in the front or rear part of the hurricane.

While storm surge generally occurs in the center of a hurricane, higher waves and the onshore wind in the right side of the storm can worsen the surge there. Also, tornadoes are most likely in the right-front part of a hurricane, which makes the right side that much worse.


If landfall is as expected, we will be on the right side of this. Thus heavier wind and nasty storm surges. The bridges to the mainland have to be closed (for safety sake) when wind gusts hit 70 mph. Thus, they should close by mid morning tomorrow.

4. trust your gut. My gut says it will be nasty but ok. And, I really really dont need that hair cut thats scheduled for tomorrow LOL.

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Dont know about anyone else but like Alex, I believe in overpreparing. Having an all electric house will do that. :|

I also fill all the pots with water in case the water supply is interrupted or becomes tainted. And fill the tub in case it is needed for flushing.

Be safe people. And dont forget to check in. We do worry about ya.

Alex stay above the waterline. I saw Warwick under water with that storm. I grew up in RI and never saw that kind of flooding. Didnt even know there was a river back there. Refurbished mall looks great tho.

Thanks babe :)

I am so hoping the 'wet bias' is running high......because the predictions sure are dire
 

Looks like I'm in for a real messy week....
Generator is out, and ready, got gas, food enough I think, got rid of possible flying objects, got beer.... LOL

This truly looks ugly.
-Mr. Moon

Jersey
 

Thanks Bully! Yes everybody, come into here when you can. Let us know how it is in your neck of the woods. Keep us all informed about the storm and your safety. Peace and Thanks!