Hurricane Florence, Groan

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

timt

Lifer
Jul 19, 2018
2,844
22,729
My thoughts and prayers are with all you folks in the path of this storm. Looks like a statewide event.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,068
Maryland
postimg.cc
Call your local Oxygen distributor and see if they have any blocks of dry ice. One small block will keep a freezer at 32 degrees for quite a while.

 
M

mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast

Guest
Buckle down the hatches and keep yourself safe mso489. My thoughts will be with you and all those in the path of the storm as it makes landfall this week.

 
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
This one is gonna be a big one. Just heard a total of 40 inches of rain is expected. I got back from my trip from Iowa only to drive straight back to Raleigh, pick up my cat, pull the trash cans and other blowable items in the garage and drove right back to my mom's house in Albemarle. At least they have gas to cook with here, so I'm not limited to non-perishable foods. Think we got enough to out last the power outages. Getting back to Raleigh and back to work is a different story.
Best of luck to you Tom, and all the rest of you in the path. We'll all be fine, just a little soggy I believe.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
The Tuesday night graphics on the hurricanes.gov site show the track somewhat further south, possibly an improvement for my area but not for our good friends at smokingpipes.com. The North and South Carolina coasts will both get storm surges. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for myself, but also for anyone else in range of this hurricane and all the backwash rain it will bring. Just remember, it isn't over when the sun comes out; the worse flooding is yet to come. Please hunker down.

 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
I got back from my trip from Iowa only to drive straight back to Raleigh, pick up my cat, pull the trash cans and other blowable items in the garage and drove right back to my mom's house in Albemarle.
Kudos to you for getting the cat. There are always sad stories of abandoned pets in these events. People need to always include their animals in their prep plans.
Best wishes to everyone in the path of this thing.

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,578
66
Sarasota, FL
My business is a bit like a Mortician's, other peoples bad news can be good for my business (insurance restoration). We don't chase storms, I just happen to have a permanent office in Raleigh (as well as Indianapolis and Birmingham, AL). I started in this business by spending a short time with a company that took me to Houston for Hurricane Ike. I was in Birmingham, AL the day after the record setting tornadoes swept across and devastated the State.
Three things that amazed me. One is how resilient people are (for the most part) in the face of incredible devastation. Two, how people tend to pull together (yes, you see the headlines about looting and other crap but they don't show all the neighbors and people working together to pull their lives together). Three is how quickly an area recovers and is essentially functional following the storm event.
The other thing you don't read about is how badly the scumbag Insurance Companies try to short change their policy holders. Yes, you have a ton of scumbag contractors moving in like Vultures trying to make a quick buck as well. Most are decent and ethical, some though should be hung from the nearest tree. Some of the crap I've seen is very depressing. The worst thing is to see Elderly folks living on fixed incomes and economically challenged families get taken advantage of.

 

fnord

Lifer
Dec 28, 2011
2,746
8
Topeka, KS
One of my twin sons is an active duty Marine 1st Lt. stationed at Camp Lejeune. He lives off base in Snead's Ferry and that community has been labeled as ground zero for Florence's landfall in North Carolina.
Fnord3 is off to Georgia or Virginia in a few short hours. He was brought up in Tornado Alley, USA and truly appreciates the "Get out of Dodge" messages received from various government agencies and his base commander.
Tomorrow night he'll be safely enjoying the bright lights of Atlanta, GA or lodging with some old FBI friends in Manassas, VA. (They watched over him while he attended OCS and The Basic School at Marine Base Quantico and made him the third parent when their three kids activities pulled them apart on weekends.)
In the meantime, I will pray for Florence's victims and her first responders.
Fnord

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
First responders are saints. The governors and mayors always explain that in the middle of a hurricane or other major event, the first responders are impeded in getting to an emergency (so if you're told to evacuate, do so). But being first responders, they are often willing to take staggering risks. The water rescue people are amazing.

 

bluto

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 24, 2018
737
8
They have equipment , support and training which most of us dont , safe to say that training includes knowing their own limitations and not turning rescuers into victims.
But , it does take a special type of person to take on those responsibilities .

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
A correction to my OP with apologies, the second big storm to hit Raleigh N.C. after Fran in 1996 was Floyd, not Felix, in 1999, not 1998. I guess the second big one didn't make as much of an impression. Floyd 1999. We could still have dire problems here with wind, rain, and power outages, but the tracking isn't as dire as it was, if this unpredictable storm actually "obeys" the tracking predictions. It is moving even more slowly, dumping lots of rain, and may not affect us until Friday or Saturday.

 

bluto

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 24, 2018
737
8
It seems to have dissipated slightly , not as catastrophic as early measurements and predictions
Good luck

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,578
66
Sarasota, FL
[/quote]It seems to have dissipated slightly , not as catastrophic as early measurements and predictions
Surprise, surprise! The media likes to hype these storms significantly in order to increase the viewing audience. To be fair, if I lived along the Carolina Coast, I would likely be taking a vacation for a few days a couple of hundred miles inland just to be safe. For it to be a catastrophic event as far inland as Raleigh or Charlotte, you're talking once every 25 years or more. 100 MPH winds damage roofs and blow trees over (which is the biggest danger and problem as they knock out power) but they aren't causing structures to come apart.
Based on the most recent "guesstimates", the storm will hit land well South of Wilmington and Raleigh will only see the periphery of the storm. Perhaps 80 MPH winds and heavy rains. Let's hope the strength of the storm dissipates significantly so nobody, even on the Coast, is killed, injured or suffers significant property damage.
 

bluto

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 24, 2018
737
8
Good lord , now Joyce is in on the action for a ménage a trois

 

bnichols23

Lifer
Mar 13, 2018
4,131
9,554
SC Piedmont
media likes to hype these storms
Although also to be fair they *are* major events that people are interested in & affected by.
Probably the best example of storms moving inland would be Ike, which after it hit the coast a few years ago moved *600+ MILES* inland still at near Cat 1 strength, which is nothing to sneeze at. It hit Louisville, which being in tornado alley is prepared for winds that high & higher, but not sustained. Tornadoes blow through & are gone. Sustained 70+ mph winds will do a number on you if all you're used to is microbursts & the odd tornado.
Much as I like them, I'm glad Flo has downgraded. I have 1st-responder friends here & this will give them a bit of a break.
Bill

 
May 9, 2018
1,687
86
Raleigh, NC
I firmly believe that the media/weather guys are in cahoots with the grocery stores. These are the only times that the grocery stores can completely empty their milk and bread reserves.....
Still unsure exactly how one makes a milk sandwich....
Got my groceries yesterday to ride out the storm 2 hours west of my house in Raleigh. Shouldn't be too bad.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Morning report from Raleigh: The tracking map has improved for us, but Florence's slowing is also widening the storm, so we'll get the tropical depression winds probably and much rain, though nothing like further south and east. If things are better than that here, I'm all for it. Flooding will be bad from the coast to I-95, and will affect low lying areas in central N.C. and apparently all the way into the mountains if the track moves north and west. Even Ohio could get some backwash on this. I don't plan to relax much until Sunday or Monday. The state will be fixing this for years to come, while they are still working on Matthew. The state officials, National Guard, and volunteer groups seem to be stepping up in a good way. All hopes and positive thoughts for those in the low country and at the coast in North and South Carolina. Don't drive through standing or moving water.

 

bluto

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 24, 2018
737
8
Glad to hear it abated somewhat , still have to deal with all that runoff
Stay clear of power lines which may be down , remember it can be three phase power and unfused..

 
Status
Not open for further replies.