Hurricane Isabel:Live Thread #2 "Force Ten Conditions In North Carolina And Further North"

NHC | 9-17-03 | My Favorite Headache

[okkev68]

Over half of the state is nothing but dense trees, lakes, and vegetation. People's misconception about OK is from movies seeking to portray our state is backwoods hick farmers. I am amazed at the number of people that still think OK is nothing but Indians and tumbleweeds.

As far as the pissing match on these Isabel threads about which is worse, a hurricane or a tornado; I would say that they both suck pretty bad and I want to avoid both at all times.

[iceskater]

Ususally the air feels "balmy," if you understand. I mean, it's almost like you can "feel" the tropics in the air.

Sometimes it seems like you can almost smell the sea - even this far inland.

[steveegg]

The eye seems to be falling apart a bit. There is rain in the center now, and every reload more rain appears there. The radial wind velocity map showed a clear eye about a half hour ago but now it's not nearly as clear.

Too little, too late.

[PleaseNoMore]

Yes, that sky was eerily beautiful last night. After church, we were out making sure that the playground equiptment was secured and we were all looking up and taking notice of it.

[ShakeNJake]

There is a young man who lives next door. If he is home, he would help her out if needed. Hopefully, those trees will stay right where they are (or fall somewhere other than on the house) and all will be well.

I'll probably try to call her after lunch (I am in CDT) to see if the phones are still working and that she is ok. I may try to call my brother too to see if he can make it over to her place to stay with her tonight. Unfortunately, this isn't something that would occur to him to do on his own.

[Howlin]

I have no idea. One can only imagine the miserable life they must live to need to come on a internet forum and try to belittle people in danger.

Issues, I tell ya! Major issues.

[Howlin]

If you think about that, it can freak you out. Remember, Isabel came from Africa!!

[steveegg]

You are the man for live feeds.

[Jonah Hex]

Quick power outage numbers.

At 10:30 a.m., Dominion Virginia Power reports the following outages: 19,800 on the Peninsula; 2,700 in the Gloucester area; 43,500 in Chesapeake; 32,600 in Norfolk; 46,800 in Virginia Beach.

[iceskater]

I hope she'll be ok.

I'm leaving my offics now. The wind and the rain and steadily increasing and I just don't want to be in the car in all this. As it is, I'll get soaked walking 10 blocks to my car.

Hang in there!

[Howlin]

There were be tons of those idiots before the day is over! Well, there may be some "selectively" eliminated, if you know what I mean.......LOL.

[DryProng]

Excellent 31! How do you clever people do that?

BTW, any Freeper in the DC area should check out the sunken sculpture garden of the Hirschhorn Museum (wait until after the storm). They have tied down the statues to prevent wind damage. At the places where the rope is tied on to the artwork, they put what looks like great big blue bath towel. One particular statue is of a great big curvy woman with big books and arms raised. With the blue bath cloths draped over her arms, it looks as if she just stepped out the shower.

[southernnorthcarolina]

But then, they don't have trees in Texas and Oklahoma to blow down.

Yep. And that makes all the difference. Not many trees close to the beaches, either, and those they do have tend to be smaller and/or more flexible and wind resistant. Which is a good thing. Just about any decent structure can withstand a wind of 85 knots (=98 mph), but not a tree moving at that speed.

It won't be a walk in the park there, and I don't minimize their problems, but some pretty good things have happened, all things considered: 1) sustained winds of 100 mph are a LOT better than 120 or 130 -- wind pressure on structures increases as the SQUARE of increases in wind speed; 2) storm surges are similarly geometric; 3) with due consideration for those in her path, she's hitting the coast at a pretty good place -- strongest winds just to the east of the eye will be felt mostly in unpopulated areas (village of Ocracoke excepted, and it's on the sound side and will be mostly OK); and 4) it's moving along briskly, and the flooding problems should be much less severe than was the case with Floyd.

[NautiNurse]

Gov. Easley on FNC...ZZZzzzzzz...

[iceskater]

Someone should get a picture of that for posting during "shower" threads! LOL

[Interesting Times]

Good post. It could have been much, much worse.

[NittanyLion]

Exactly. Outside of folks with the unfortunate luck of having a tree fall on their house, I don't expect this will be as bad as advertised.

[TBall]

I've been out wind surfing on the Potomac all morning. It's a blast I tell you. I can't wait for the winds to pick up this afternoon.

[steveegg]

There were be tons of those idiots before the day is over! Well, there may be some "selectively" eliminated, if you know what I mean.......LOL.

Who's in charge of handing out the Izzy Darwin awards?

[Howlin]

Honestly, he's just horrible. The most boring speaker I have ever seen.