"FRANKENSTORM"

[journeyman]

I do hope all of you in the coastal states are paying attention to the news and storm preparations information.

Us guys in FL know what to do because we get trial runs about twice a year and I live in evac. zone 2 so we get sent out pretty early.

The problem is that this storm is worse that "The Perfect Storm" back in '91. So far this looks like a record-breaker. Even we are afraid of this storm.

We are just coming out from under the edge of it right now. The sun has only come out in the past fifteen minutes. The winds are still high but we have no damage.

It's not my MS but if there is a tropical storm/hurricane within a thousand miles my sinuses shut down, I get a sore throat, I get a bad cough etc. The doc's say it is an "atmospheric allergy." Whatever - I don't understand it but my body gets sick every time. AND it seems to aggravate my MS symptoms.

PLEASE, PLEASE don't thing this storm is not for you. Don't play the Katrina game. It is deadly. This one more than most.
Those of you in w/c or ventilation equip. especially need to get out. Red Cross has special places for anybody needing health assistance. You can call them.

Take care. I have been and will be praying for all of you. Please be safe.
Dave
"Journeyman"

[Westgrl]

Thanks Dave. I'm in NJ and apparently we are in the direct path of it. Fortunately, I'm more inland and not right on the coast. As prepared as we can be.

[Seasha]

Hey Dave. Glad you all dodged this bullet. My brother lives in Tampa, so I was concerned as I hadn't talked to him.

Westgrl - my son and family live in NJ - northern and a little bit inland. They are prepared with extra water, food and diapers! They are used to these storms with the power going out and major flooding. Hope you are safe!

My prayers also for everyone's safety!!

[Cat Mom]

My best wishes and prayers go out to all affected by it.

My son and his girlfriend were on a cruise through Jamaica, The Bahamas. They were affected by rough seas on the way back to Fla. They docked on Fri and flew home (Toronto, Canada). I think it scared the crap out of him!

[MarkLavelle]

My mom (on Long Beach Island, NJ) has already received notice of mandatory evacuation by 4pm Sunday.

[alliesmommy]

I am also in NJ. We are southern, closer to the shore so we are bracing for the worst. I swear all this stress from worrying has me worried I will have a relapse. I will be glad when this is aver with.

My prayers also go out to all that have been or will be affected by this MonSter storm.

Keep your fingers crossed!

[unsureofanything]

good luck

good luck from down under. please follow the good advice and stay out of harms way. like journeyman said no one wants a repeat of what happened with hurricane katrina. thinking of you all. be safe.

[maitrimama]

It looks like this one is going to be a doosie! I live on the coast in Connecticut, literally on the coast, my backyard is right on the tidal salt marsh and with all this talk of tidal surge, flooding and full moon I'll be happy when Sandy is long gone.

I am up visiting my daughter so I lost track of what was happening but I'll head back down early tomorrow afternoon. I know it will be nerve racking and these crazy storms with fluctuating barometric pressures often trigger killer migraines but I am in good hands. My dad is a retired policeman, emt and ex-marine. My bill is current policeman and ex-naval intelligence and my brother owns a large landscaping business and his men are always willing to chip in and lend a hand.

Everything else is out of my hands and any and all positive thoughts are much appreciated - M.

[Strhuntrss]

Frankenstorm

Thanks for the concern and for the prayers Journeyman!

I am up here in Pa and our Governor had already issued a state of emergency on Friday and we are not to be impacted until Tuesday.

There goes the milk, bread and toilet paper off the shelves.

And why is that ... why do we think if we have milk, bread and toilet paper stocked up we will be able to survive, lol.
We are a strange bunch aren't we, lol.

Stay safe east coasters .... make sure you check all your batteries and have a battery operated radio beside you so you can stay informed, preferably one that has a weather channel on it. And make sure your cell phone is charged.

God bless and keep you safe from harm!

[gomer]

I rode my first (and LAST) hurricane Mean Jeane a few years back. I was well prepared, plenty of water, ice, food etc. I went to walmart that morning to stock up. I was about the only IDIOT shopping to stock up.

Jeanne was projected to turn N before the eastern Fla coast.
, she marched on, no turn.

Then she was projected to turn N after hitting the coastline. She did what she wanted marched dead ahead.

Next she was predicted to turn N and hit Orlando,
She still did not listen, she marched full speed ahead

By late evening mean Jeane marched thru the Lakeland area. Tampa bay had gone to bed THINKing she was NOT coming their way... they were SAFE...or so they thought.....well that is till some got rousted from their sleep to evacuate!

Sometime after midnight the lights went out in Ga...oops Lakeland. (mine did anyway). I had a pocket TV to view the storm on real-time radar, but had to hold a radio up to my ear to hear the reporters. It was a scarey night, wondering if a 2x4 or something might pay an unwelcome visit. Even at noon time the next day the rain was still falling horizontally instead of down. About 3-4pm the next day at long last one could open the front door and dare brave the out-of-doors again.

There is only one thing I FEAR more than a hurricane (or maybe malfunction junction), its hurricane evacuation traffic on I-75!

Be safe, stay warm and dry............

Gmer Sir Falls-a-lot

[22cyclist]

Having been through both a CAT 3 and CAT 4 hurricane the last one was Fran and came right through Raleigh, but we also have a beach house, it is nothing to play around with. The tornadoes, the wind, the flooding, it is all one big mess! The power outages can last for weeks.

I hope you guys are all safe. In NC we missed the worst of it, just some power outages and flooding along our coast. I am worried about our son in NYC and the rest of you in NJ.

Get flashlights, and stay inside. Fill your bathtubs with water to flush the toilets, put bags of ice in your freezer to keep both your food colder when the power goes out, and to have water later on.

Take care everyone.
Lisa

[journeyman]

In Tampa...

Sun finally just came out in the last hour. We have a much cooler wind now. There will be more clouds as the cold front will be here this evening.

As a tracker geek I have the comp. set up and am checking in about every 30 min. I see they have just evacuated level 1 in NY.

Some of you will need hip waders while others will need snow shovels. Wow. Hang on up there everybody.
Dave
"Journeyman"

[maitrimama]

CT Update

Latest report says Sandy will hit at ~6pm tomorrow. They are calling for winds 65-80 mph, rainfall ~4 inches and storm surge of 8 to 10 feet (and we will get the storm surge twice) oh joy! Evacuations are being called for, I'd much rather stay but can go up to my brother's (with my dog) if need be.

I hope all of us in Sandy's path stay safe and warm and dry. - M.

[Westgrl]

We are getting a lot of rain & wind now. They are saying it looks like it will be worse than expected. Even though it may not be a hurricane when it makes landfall, the hybrid storm is expected to comparable to a cat 3 or 4 hurricane.

They just interviewed a guy who lives on the barrier islands in NJ and decided to stay who is now rethinking his decision. No idea why anyone would stay there because eventually, when the winds get too bad, the only way in & out gets closed, so you are stuck whether you like it or not.

Hope everyone stays safe! Crossing my fingers that I do not lose power.

[Panegyric]

Its crazy here too.. south MA. I'm a floridian as well and I've been skeptical about the coverage of the storm.. but in the end I bought my supplies and am begging nature not to smite me..

on a semi related note.. any of you having issues with the seriously low pressure the storm has going on? I am in so much pain its scaring me. Damn hurricanes.. the sad part is the floridian in me is thinking "well thank god this isn't happening to me in FL in August when the heat during a power outage would likely kill me" heh.

Do take care everyone! Sending good thoughts to you and your families.