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Hurricane Isabel


friendofdot

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Every map that I see has my location as the first hit in the Carolinas. Am on the Neuse River 35 miles inland and am staying right here. My home survived Hurricane Hazel in 1954 so am hopeful Isabel will not even be as harsh. Old timers around here say that Hurricane Hazel had winds that drove pine needles into telephone poles. Ok, ok...I am a tad bit scared. Who on the board is also in the path?Paula

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It looks like I am in the path as well here on the Outer Banks. BarryB is in Southeastern Virginia and LilBambi is Southen Virginia. There are a few of us ,and there is no place to go that is in traveling distance that has any guarantee of being any safer. Our schools have shut down and they have evacuated Ocracoke Island down between Paula and I. My house is suppose to withstand 120 MPH hurricane winds and it is predicted at 127. That is pretty close. I hope I just don't really test it but will be here to find out.Batten down the hatches and get out the monopoly! It's time to kick back and watch the surf! Don't panic if we don't post because there is no guarantee the lines will stay up. Even though our lines are underground they run straight inland from here and right across the path so anything is possible. Keep an eye on the weather channel for crazy folks on the beach and you might see me. <_< Actually, I won't go out directly in it too much. They like to do the Weather Channel down in Nags Head and I am just north of Kitty Hawk.

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I was born more than a decade after Hurricane Hazel, but where I grew up in Toronto, it was one of the hardest hit areas when she came ashore into Canada. When I was 9 or 10 we went on a field trip to a conservation area north of Toronto where they told us that the dam we were looking was built as a result of Hurricane Hazel.

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<<There are a few of us ,and there is no place to go that is in traveling distance that has any guarantee of being any safer. >> Teacher, someone told me today that we would have to drive to Tennessee to maybe feel safe. Too long a drive for me. Heard that they were getting ready to have all the 4 lane highways from the beach going in one direction...away from the coast. I would not like to be in that mass evacuation. What I dread the most is the obvious loss of power and phone service. Gonna be hot for a few days <_< Peachy, I never realized that Hazel went all the way to Canada and is remembered there, too. Thanks for the info. All I do know is that every hurricane is usually compared to Hazel. Good luck to everyone, especially my neighbor, teacher...lets all check in to the board before and after. Stay Safe!!!

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Peachy, I never realized that Hazel went all the way to Canada and is remembered there, too.  Thanks for the info.  All I do know is that every hurricane is usually compared to Hazel. 
And, apparently, you can still buy Hurricane Hazel by Betty Kennedy. This book chronicles the hurricane's effect on Toronto, complete with pictures. My "in-laws" have a copy and I usually take a gander at it during October of every year.
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So far, accuweather.com's projected path puts it in a direct line for Norfolk. So far, at work, they are saying that we should plan on staying at work from wednesday to until it blows over.Have to keep the Navy's vital lines of communication up!! <_<

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Guest LilBambi

Yeah, I hear ya! Being on the 'mainland' or 'southside' of Virginia only about an hour from Norfolk it should be interesting.They are shutting down the Ferry at midnight Wednesday I undestand and won't be running it again till Friday or Saturday they say. They also were saying something about the bridges being closed at some point.That would mean that those on the Peninsula area of Virginia will have to go North then West if they wait too long.I emailed VDOT (VA Dept of Transportation) to be sure that was correct but haven't heard back. No word about it on the VDOT site yet.My nephew sent this NASA picture from space to me of Isabel:Hurricane Isabel - 9-2003

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Got up early to watch the news and Hurricane Isabel has been down graded to 115 mph. She will still be strong, but nothing like Hazel and that is a very good thing. Thursday is still gonna be a long day, but we have definitely got a lot to be grateful for. Good luck to all of you in VA.

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Hurrican Hazel is remembered in Canada as it was the only still-hurricane-strength hurricane that hit us. we already are receiving warnings on TV up here in barrie (1 hour north of toronto), as it might still be category 1 or 2 by the time it reaches us friday night. i know it's going to be crazy in carolina and i'll keep you all southerners in mind, but something to consider; a LOT of our powerlines are above ground and there's still many many trees that hang over houses that probably couldnt withstand hurricane winds; you may find more and more damage inland with Isabel as less and less structures are hurricane-proof and no one will have their windows boarded up.good luck to everyone in its path (i think i'm the furthest away from its landfall, but its showing a direct path over toronto/barrie; i guess i wont be able to go boating this weekend after all. :unsure: )

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I do disaster relief as a profession... Take precautions even if it's "only" a level 3. Until its over, anything can happen. I like the distinction between levels 4 and 5... 155 is a 4 and 156 is a 5. Like that 1 mph is going to matter if you take a direct hit.

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Prelude, I do agree that inland homes will have more problems than we that have endured. I do hope that Isabel will lose lots of umph after it hits us. However, it has been slow here burying power lines and ours are still not underground :unsure: One of the most inconvenient parts is being hot and waiting to get AC restored (I would never make it on "Survivor"). Incidentally, the Weather Channel just called her a category 2, but it is right on the border at 105mph. They are thinking it will increase as it hits the Gulf Stream.BTW, Orare, I agree about there being no difference in 155mph and 156mph except classification; but at that time, we were desperate for any relief. My biggest wish is to be in the east side of where it hits as the winds are not as strong. But this thing is still huge and it probably won't make that much difference.Guess what I find most interesting is that this area went over 20 years without much hurricane activity and then kapow. Most hurricanes after the middle of August just search out the Carolina coast.

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As long as the power is up, I will probably be here on line at some time. I have my emergency supplies and have taken care of all the neighbors' houses. Just took a walk to the beach. It was beautiful outside. I was very happy to see all the tourists that were leaving our little patch of land. Thursday will be a long day but I don't expect much here. Our power lines are underground and it should stay steady. Our homes were built to withstand this level of activity. With all of that said, if it continues inland across where it is suppose to go (Sorry Paula) then I may be without DSL. Our DSL lines run from here to Raleigh which is right across the path of the hurricane. Without that, no telephone and no Internet. The cable television will probably go out at some time as well. I feel much more comfortable at 105 mph winds than 150. Just the simple reversal of those digits does wonders for my morale.

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I agree with the change in those two digits...the stress level here is much lower :) ...with the exception of those that have never been through a "cane :unsure: . If she picks up crossing the gulf stream it might get interesting..but we have pulled in the grill,patio stuff..took down the kids trampoline (will hate putting it back up) and I guess we are as ready as we can be...wife is from Cali..she's scared..kids think it's cool...We lose Power and cable during a good storm..so will probably get knocked off line for a few...

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Just took a walk to the beach. It was beautiful outside. I was very happy to see all the tourists that were leaving our little patch of land.
Yea, the surf has been awsome up here in MA too. All the summer turists are gone too, so the beaches are wonderful.
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Dave Barry's Hurricane Advice(if you live in the storm track, just substitute your location for "Florida")

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS GUIDEDave BarryWe're entering the heart of hurricane season. Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weatherperson pointing to some radar blob out in the Atlantic and making two basic meteorological points:1. There is no need to panic.2. We could all be killed.Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in South Florida. If you're new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we'll get hit by "the big one." The best way to get information on this topic is to ask people who were here during Hurricane Andrew (we're easy to recognize, because we still smell faintly of b.o. mixed with gasoline). Based on our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:STEP 1. Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days.STEP 2. Put these supplies into your car.STEP 3. Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Halloween.Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in South Florida. If you're one of those people, you'll want to clip out the following useful hurricane information and tuck it away in a safe place so that later on, when a storm is brewing, you will not be able to locate it.We'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE -- If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements: (1) It is reasonably well built, and (2) It is located in Nebraska. Unfortunately, if your home is located in South Florida, or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place. So you'll have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value of your house. At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss. Since Hurricane Andrew, I have had an estimated 27 different home-insurance companies. This week, I'm covered by the Bob and Big Stan Insurance Company, under a policy which states that, in addition to my premium, both Bob and Big Stan are entitled, on demand, to my kidneys.SHUTTERS -- Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, and -- if it's a major hurricane -- all the toilets. There are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages:-- Plywood shutters: The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they're cheap. The disadvantage is that, because you make them yourself, they will fall off.-- Sheet-metal shutters: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be December.-- Roll-down shutters: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house. The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them.-- "Hurricane-proof" windows: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection: They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He lives in Nebraska."HURRICANE PROOFING" YOUR PROPERTY: As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects such as barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc.; you should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately). Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles. (If you happen to have deadly missiles in your yard, don't worry, because the hurricane winds will turn THEM into harmless objects).EVACUATION ROUTE -- If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says "Florida," you live in a low-lying area.) The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two million other evacuees. So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.SUPPLIES: If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! South Florida tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of Spam. In addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies:-- 23 Flashlights.-- At least $167 worth of batteries that turn out, when the power goes out, to be the wrong size for the flashlights.-- Bleach. (No, I don't know what the bleach is for. NOBODY knows what the bleach is for. But it's traditional, so GET some, dammit!)-- A 55-gallon drum of underarm deodorant.-- A big knife that you can strap to your leg. (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.)-- A large quantity of bananas, to placate the monkeys. (Ask anybody who went through Andrew; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate monkeys.)-- $35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you can buy a generator from a man with no discernible teeth.Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the ocean and tell you over and over again how vitally important it for everybody to stay the **** away from the ocean.At that point, if you've prepared all you can, there's frankly nothing left to for you to do but pray. I mean for a really BIG wave.
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Oh, wow, thanks, Jeber...I needed that laugh. He really hit the nail on the head (no pun intended). However, I think the best thing for me to stop watching weather people and read a good book. Tonight,they have said 4 different locations for Isabel to hit. I want the east side, dammit.

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PaulaNOT THE EAST SIDE! Sorry. B) I don't want an East track. I want a far East middle of the ocean and die out track. I don't know what they had on the news because I did not watch it. You can only watch the news and the weather channel so much. Pictures like this one don't do much for you. I know it will be a little tough but I like that this bad girl is 1/3 slower than she was a few days ago. I can handle that! B) B) :D

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Sleep deprevation does harmful things to me; I sleep poorly before hurricanes. When I awoke this morning, I realized that I meant west side?!?!? Teacher, thanks for pointing this out. However, at this point, with our being 30 miles from the direct hit, I doubt it matters that much. Isabel is on the way and this will all be over in 48 hours. Whew...the build up is tough and longer and longer with technology the way it is. Well, it is a beautiful sunny morning with perfect temperatures. I wish everyone well. Be safe, all!

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Dave Barry's Hurricane Advice(if you live in the storm track, just substitute your location for "Florida")
<<snip>>STEP 3. Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Halloween.<<snip>>
Yeah! Come party with me here where it's safe! B) I've got room to put a few people up for a month or so. :D
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Wow! You saw him too Barry! LOL!  :'(Jeber! That was great!  :D
Yes...I think it was outside of Home Depot...His long coat..and whispering"Hey Buddy...wanna buy a generator" was a hint B)
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Guest LilBambi

Good luck to you Barry! We will definitely be feeling it here no matter what. Storm surge is already 1-3 feet as shown by the Accuweather storm surge picture. I wonder if they will be able to keep the ferry open till midnight?Not that it matters ... I am staying at home!

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Thanks Fran...At home now..We shall see how the exciting city of Suffolk Does..along with the peanut farmers..Though I thought I saw the top hat that planters dude wears rolling down Nansemound Parkway

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Guest LilBambi

Still beautiful and sunny here, but there is that ominous 'odd' sustaining wind that comes and goes...quite strong too! Our bird feeder flies horizontally when it comes. Like a premonition. :D I am not looking forward to this at all B)

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Still Sunny here...but wind is gathering...Not looking forward to this either..ridden out a few of these...actually like being on land to do this...Shipboard..was...interesting :D

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