Hurricane Irene

[Telly]

Being far from the affected area, it's had to determine what exactly is going on as far as actual damage vs. the previous estimates. The Weather Channel seems hopeless. It looks like a TV weather version of CNBC. I'm expecting that the producer of Cramer is on the set, waving her arms up and down as a signal to pump it up.

They keep running a video from Richmond VA. of a big tree falling over, and the talking head blathers on about how much rain, that the ground is saturated, and trees are just falling over because of that. I guess she didn't bother to look at the base of the fallen tree in the video. When soil liquifies and a tree falls over, there are big big roots extending way out that come out with it. The tree in the video has at most about one foot of root extending out from it. Looks to me like an old tree that was on its last legs (no pun intended), and wind high up on it just broke it off with lever action.

I flipped over to TWC many times this evening, just saw the same CNBC-ism. So I have no idea how bad it really is.

On the other hand, a local TV weather guy here showed a time-lapse water vapor satellite loop, that showed very dry air from Texas and the South Central states getting sucked into the hurricane and wrapping up with it. He said that dry air was preventing the hurricane from intensifying. He said a downside to the dry air was that the chance of tornadoes increases.

 

[Nords]

My spouse the meteorologist has been glued to the TV for about three days now. My apologies to those of you who are getting pounded, but we all need to watch less of this and just listen to the NWS radio reports.

I can't help wondering how CNN picks the poor "reporters" who have to stand on the beach in a red slicker with a microphone. (They remind me of the Star Trek security staff on the away teams.) Sometimes it looks like a prop guy is standing just outside the shot spraying a 200-psi 2.5-inch Navy fire hose. I bet the mic's not even live, and the voiceover is being done by the real reporter from the nice dry minivan while the office intern has to wear the slicker and keep from being blown down the beach. "Hang in there, kid, another 20 minutes and we'll see if you can do it at night under the arc lights!!"

It seems to me that Wolf Blitzer is standing in a nice, dry, cool, air-conditioned [-]"war room"[/-] studio that appears to be in DC but in reality could be anywhere-- even in Los Angeles. Since he probably hasn't been out in hurricane weather anytime during this millennium, then why the heck is he also wearing a red CNN slicker? In case someone trips and flings their cappuccino across the set?

 

[BigNick]

flashlights are selling for $50 each

Ayn Rand would be so proud.

 

[Purron]

Things are OK here in Northern Virginia. No damage and never even lost power although thousands across Virginia are without power. Richmond, Norfolk and Virginia Beach folks may have to wait a long time to get service restored. Outages in the DC area are much less severe.

I'm so tired of cable news and weather. Very little useful information and lots of hype. I couldn't believe they had Ali Velshi out on the streets in a CNN slicker. What does he know about storms?

Best information is from the National Hurricane Center and local news sources. Good luck to everyone up north of here. Hope your worst aggrivation is having to endure 12 more hours of Jim Cantore and his "news crew".

 

[MichaelB]

Things are OK here. No damage and never even lost power although thousands across Virginia are without power. Richmond, Norfolk and Virginia Beach folks may have to wait a long time to get service restored. Outages in the DC area are much less severe.

I'm so tired of cable news and weather. Very little useful information and lots of hype. I couldn't believe they had Ali Velshi out on the streets in a CNN slicker. What does he know about storms?

Best information is from the National Hurricane Center and local news sources. Good luck to everyone up north of here. Hope your worst aggrivation is having to endure 12 more hours of Jim Cantore and his "news crew".

Thanks for checking in, good to hear things are ok so far.

Fully agree on the news thing. It is very counterproductive because when a real threat approaches people don't pay attention because of all the hysteria-mania exaggerations.

 

[Gumby]

Irene is here in Connecticut. The wind whistling through the rigging of the sailboats in the harbor next to us sounds like a chorus of screaming banshees. And I can hear the small branches ricochet off the side of the house as they are torn from the trees. The trees are bending and shaking, but so far mostly intact. The lights have flickered a time or two, but we still have power and internet for the time being. Fortunately, I heard that the wind is now down to only high tropical force levels. I'd hate to think how much worse it could have been.

My next door neighbors just returned from a drive around town to take pictures (yes, I know. They are the kind of people you read about in the paper). They inform me that several low lying areas of town are already flooded and there are many trees down around town. Unfortunately, we are also coming up on high tide at 11:08 am, so the storm surge is likely to result in even more extensive flooding.

P.S. -- our TV has been broken for two months, so we are generally unaware of the hype.

 

[Nords]

I'm glad this has gone from "brief moments of sheer panic" to "hours of boredom & cleanup".

P.S. -- our TV has been broken for two months, so we are generally unaware of the hype.

That's not a repair issue-- that's a lifestyle decision!

 

[W2R]

Irene is here in Connecticut. The wind whistling through the rigging of the sailboats in the harbor next to us sounds like a chorus of screaming banshees. And I can hear the small branches ricochet off the side of the house as they are torn from the trees. The trees are bending and shaking, but so far mostly intact. The lights have flickered a time or two, but we still have power and internet for the time being. Fortunately, I heard that the wind is now down to only high tropical force levels. I'd hate to think how much worse it could have been.

My next door neighbors just returned from a drive around town to take pictures (yes, I know. They are the kind of people you read about in the paper). They inform me that several low lying areas of town are already flooded and there are many trees down around town. Unfortunately, we are also coming up on high tide at 11:08 am, so the storm surge is likely to result in even more extensive flooding.

How terrific that so far, your trees are mostlly intact, and haven't fallen on your house. Yes, high tropical storm force is still a lot of wind but usually not nearly as destructive as hurricane force wind. I am glad and surprised to hear that you have power.

 

[ERD50]

Originally Posted by Purron
flashlights are selling for $50 each

Ayn Rand would be so proud.

As should everyone who cares about people.

I used to see this 'scalping' as unconscionable, until I read an analysis of it.

It actually helps to conserve scarce resources and insure that they are used wisely. If the kept the price of flashlights at the regular $5 (or whatever), people with money would buy more than they need, and there would be none for anybody. By letting the price rise with demand, they are treated as the scarce resource that they are. Another positive side effect is that it motivates entrepreneurs to get more flashlights into the area, as they are compensated for their increased risk. And people will learn - be prepared, get your emergency supplies well ahead of time.

Sure, charities can get flashlights there, and no one is stopping them. The entrepreneurs would just add to the supply.

From what I read, there is more harm in artificially forcing pries to stay at the lower prices than there is from 'scalping'. This turned around my thinking on the matter (yes, peoples minds can be changed).

-ERD50

 

[Leonidas]

It actually helps to conserve scarce resources and insure that they are used wisely. If the kept the price of flashlights at the regular $5 (or whatever), people with money would buy more than they need, and there would be none for anybody. By letting the price rise with demand, they are treated as the scarce resource that they are.

It is interesting to watch how the local economy works during disasters. When I was in Louisiana in 2005, the curfews, lack of power, lack of deliveries of foodstuffs and gasoline, meant that most stores and gas stations were closed. Exceptions were made for first responders, but everyone else was just encouraged to stay home until the worst was over - "if you didn't plan ahead you will just have to live without." The exception being when we hauled the local Wal Mart manager down to his store so NOPD could haul off all the ammunition.

 

[Buckeye]

Does everyone have flood insurance? After living through 3 hurricanes in Central Florida in 2004, I decided I would purchase flood insurance for any home I owned in the future whether it appeared I needed it or not. During the hurricanes, the amount of water on the ground from the sustained rains was almost more concerning than the wind. Only one neighbor had purchased flood insurance (cheap where we lived) and she was much less stressed out than the rest of us.

I got great coverage on the house in OH for about $200 per year. As it turned out, the area had a 100 year flood the first (and second year) we lived there. Many people had flood damage from the river overflowing its banks but others had substantial damage from surface water caused by the torrential rains like we encountered during the hurricanes.

I had previously pictured floods being caused by overflowing rivers or lakes but that's not necessarily how it happens. It was my understanding the people whose basements flooded due to overwhelmed sump pumps were covered by their homeowner's insurance but the folks who had water enter from above were not covered as that was considered flooding.

Good luck to all!

 

[Fireup2020]

Power out here (morris co, nj) since 0600. Manually bailing sump pump pit since we are stupid! (no battery backup or generator for this storm). No flood damage at all since we caught this in time. Rain stopped, decent wind now. Supposedly local generator plant under water so might take neighbors up on offer to run a line to their generator later. Sections of the turnpike and parkway still under water, and there are radio reports of numerous basements/ house collapses near the raritan river. Could be much worse. Was supposed to fly out yesterday to tx, but airport closed.

 

[MichaelB]

In the kitchen doing some food prep I tuned in the weather channel, and it looks like flood threat is pretty widespread. The local stations they tune into comment continuously about people driving in flooded streets.

 

[Buckeye]

Power out here (morris co, nj) since 0600. Manually bailing sump pump pit since we are stupid! (no battery backup or generator for this storm). No flood damage at all since we caught this in time. Rain stopped, decent wind now. Supposedly local generator plant under water so might take neighbors up on offer to run a line to their generator later. Sections of the turnpike and parkway still under water, and there are radio reports of numerous basements/ house collapses near the raritan river. Could be much worse. Was supposed to fly out yesterday to tx, but airport closed.

You might want to add a second sump pump along with the battery backup. All the electricity in the world won't help if your pump decides to poop out in the middle of the night. Belt and suspenders!

 

[MichaelB]

You might want to add a second sump pump along with the battery backup. All the electricity in the world won't help if your pump decides to poop out in the middle of the night. Belt and suspenders!

That's what we have. Of course, it helps to make sure you don't have gravel coming in your sump pit. We didn't (make sure), and both pumps failed. Good timing , too - 6 months after putting in new carpet in the basement.

We now have two new sum pumps (one is battery backup) and a new sump pit.

 

[Gumby]

Irene has now passed off to the north of us. We were very fortunate. None of our trees fell, although we have enough kindling to last a lifetime from the smaller branches that fell off. We have started making huge brush piles out in the backyard. My neighbor across the street took a direct hit from his fallen 80-foot tall spruce tree. No injuries, but quite a mess. Another neighbor three doors down lost one of his large maple trees. Luckily it did not hit his house. We were also fortunate to keep our power the entire time.

An interesting phenomenon of the storm is that the wind tore the leaves into little pieces, which were plastered all over the southeast facing side of the house. I just finished hosing them off.

 

[Tiger]

We lucked out, the storm shifted a bit to the west and didn't make a direct hit on NYC and the part of Long Island that we live on. Our biggest problem is that lots of huge branches from our old oak are down in the back yard. I made a pile of them and tomorrow I'm borrowing my neighbor's chain saw and my son is coming over to do the grunt work. Our basement is a little damp but not nearly as bad as the gail we had in March which had south west winds while this one was north east.

We normally lose power during quiet times but we only lost power for one hour at 11 this morning after the storm passed.

 

[TromboneAl]

If they kept the price of flashlights at the regular $5 (or whatever), people with money would buy more than they need, and there would be none for anybody.

Yes, I know I'd go out and buy at least five or six flashlights if the price didn't go up during a disaster.

Seriously, I doubt people buy more than they need. The distribution of flashlights is going to be restricted with or without gouging.

With price gouging, the restrictions are based on income, without gouging the restrictions are based on foresight.

I don't think the government should get involved, but I don't think we should applaud the gougers.

 

[Purron]

Beautiful day here today. Bright, sunny about 82. A little breezy but not bad. Winds expected to calm tonight with a low about 60.

Still lots of problems in central/southeast VA. Major power outages persist with nearly 70% in Richmond without power - down from about 80% this morning.

Our nephew, who works at Lowes in Roanoke, VA, will be helping out at stores in harder hit areas in VA and NC. He's looking forward to the overtime and considers this an adventure.

 

[W2R]

So glad to hear that the weather is better where you are, Purron.

 

[ERD50]

Seriously, I doubt people buy more than they need. The distribution of flashlights is going to be restricted with or without gouging.

With price gouging, the restrictions are based on income, without gouging the restrictions are based on foresight.

I don't think the government should get involved, but I don't think we should applaud the gougers.

Some will, just to get the extra batteries (if batteries are sold out).

I'm not applauding the gougers, just saying that the natural supply/demand forces do help somewhat to keep things in check. And unfortunately, the gov does get involved (trying to fix prices), and the consequences are likely to hurt people over-all.

-ERD50

 

[W2R]

Irene has now passed off to the north of us. We were very fortunate. None of our trees fell, although we have enough kindling to last a lifetime from the smaller branches that fell off. We have started making huge brush piles out in the backyard. My neighbor across the street took a direct hit from his fallen 80-foot tall spruce tree. No injuries, but quite a mess. Another neighbor three doors down lost one of his large maple trees. Luckily it did not hit his house. We were also fortunate to keep our power the entire time.

Glad to hear you came through this with what sounds like relatively little damage.

An interesting phenomenon of the storm is that the wind tore the leaves into little pieces, which were plastered all over the southeast facing side of the house. I just finished hosing them off.

Hurricanes do weird things. For some reason, Katrina bent the fan blades downward on the exterior ceiling fan on my patio (see photo). They looked like flower petals to me.

 

[M Paquette]

I'm not applauding the gougers, just saying that the natural supply/demand forces do help somewhat to keep things in check. And unfortunately, the gov does get involved (trying to fix prices), and the consequences are likely to hurt people over-all.

-ERD50

It's those darn FEMA people, interfering with free market forces and handing out free bottles of water. And the Coast Guard, rescuing people without demanding cash or valuables up front. And don't get me started on the volunteer fire departments and medical folks!

Remember, every time you help someone, Ayn Rand sheds a tear.

 

[ERD50]

It's those darn FEMA people, interfering with free market forces and handing out free bottles of water. And the Coast Guard, rescuing people without demanding cash or valuables up front. And don't get me started on the volunteer fire departments and medical folks!

Remember, every time you help someone, Ayn Rand sheds a tear.

Volunteers and govt emergency workers are fine. But if they did their job to such an extent that there was no market for these items, there would be no [-]gougers[/-] entrepreneurs providing them.

It's not a conflict at all. The entrepreneurs can only fill in the gaps, and that has value.


-ERD50

 

[Purron]

Hurricanes do weird things. For some reason, Katrina bent the fan blades downward on the exterior ceiling fan on my patio (see photo). They looked like flower petals to me.

Wow! Very weird indeed W2R. I'd love to see other pictures you have from Katrina.