Northeast Frankenstorm, hurricane Sandy.

[Data Holmes]

Well northern NJ is going insane. I think every store in the area will be out of bottled water by tonight. Some gas stations are starting to run low on regular.

It looked like the Home Depot and lowes parking lots were full. I also heard at least two area ATM's were empty as of this afternoon.

I've lived here my whole life, and I can't understand why no one is ever ready for a few days storm/power outage and always goes bat shit freak out right before the storm.

 

[thestrangequark]

NYC seems calm. I think people here are expecting this to turn out like Irene.

 

[Timby]

I'm praying it peters out. I'm flying from Madison to Atlanta to Raleigh-Durham to Baltimore tomorrow morning.

 

[thestrangequark]

I'm just crossing my fingers that the MTA decides to shut down, because if they do: Three Day Weekend! I know, I know, that's a selfish and irresponsible attitude...but, Three Day Weekend!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I can't understand why no one is ever ready for a few days storm/power outage and always goes bat shit freak out right before the storm.

Around here (Nebraska), people save time by going insane much earlier. If Sandy was headed here, they'd have started the panic buying days ago. As they do for pretty much any weather that might conceivably be somewhat maybe a bit dangerous, including snowfall of less than 1 inch.

I hope everyone is okay up in the northeast. Storms that are truly dangerous must of course be prepared for. I hope no lives are lost.

 

[Kira's Mom]

I'm right on the edge of where Sandy is supposed to hit hardest.

 

[SmoothieX]

It's going to rain for a couple of days, big deal.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Around here (Nebraska), people save time by going insane much earlier. If Sandy was headed here, they'd have started the panic buying days ago. As they do for pretty much any weather that might conceivably be somewhat maybe a bit dangerous, including snowfall of less than 1 inch.

I am totally disillusioned. I pictured people in colder, snowier environs as always calm and prepared for anything at any time. Seriously. Well, mostly.

 

[Timby]

Around here (Nebraska), people save time by going insane much earlier. If Sandy was headed here, they'd have started the panic buying days ago. As they do for pretty much any weather that might conceivably be somewhat maybe a bit dangerous, including snowfall of less than 1 inch.

I am totally disillusioned. I pictured people in colder, snowier environs as always calm and prepared for anything at any time. Seriously. Well, mostly.

I spent eight years living in Dubuque, Iowa. Despite being right on the Mississippi and getting dick-smacked with snow and ice storms every single year, people out there freak out over every little thing -- I'm not exaggerating when I say that people start putting chains on their tires and raiding Hy-Vee for bottled water when there's even a hint of snow in the forecast.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

^ Well, you'll feel at home here, then.

 

[SG-17]

I hope that Sandy beats the odd and doesn't turn inland.

 

[Data Holmes]

I hope that Sandy beats the odd and doesn't turn inland.

It's a foregone conclusion a this point.

 

[teya]

Around here (Nebraska), people save time by going insane much earlier. If Sandy was headed here, they'd have started the panic buying days ago. As they do for pretty much any weather that might conceivably be somewhat maybe a bit dangerous, including snowfall of less than 1 inch.

I am totally disillusioned. I pictured people in colder, snowier environs as always calm and prepared for anything at any time. Seriously. Well, mostly.

It's unlikely that you'll be perfectly prepared at all times.

Prior to Gloria back in the 80's, we battened down the woodpile, stocked up on gas for the generator--and of course that meant hitting the gas station about 2 days ahead of the storm. The morning of the storm, we filled the bathtub. As it was harvest season, the pantry was stocked with freshly canned veggies.

We spent 2 weeks without power & using a generator for the well and the refrigerator. I spent the day after the storm canning all the stuff from the freezer on a wood stove in the backyard.

Still, we had to hit the gas station for more gas for the generator multiple times during that 2 weeks.

 

[Data Holmes]

Hey Teya, did you used to post on starscape back in the day? If so, long time no see.

 

[teya]

NYC seems calm. I think people here are expecting this to turn out like Irene.

Let's really hope it doesn't, OK?

While you didn't get bitch-slapped by Irene, the areas from where your food & water comes did... and hard. People are still displaced, farms are still recovering.

The bucolic babbling Schoharie creek turned into a white water river a mile wide. Villages were inundated to the 3rd story. Farms were flooded to 12 ft. An entire year's work was lost in less than one day.

NYC DEP is doing some due diligence this time: reservoir levels have been reduced to minimal in anticipation of the creeks that feed them rising to well above flood stage. That should help to mitigate. Still, it would be even more helpful if the city folks worked with the hillbillies* that feed them & permitted judicious dredging of the more flood prone streams.

* Hillbillies used affectionately. Schoharie County is home.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Um...you weren't meant to take that remark personally. That has just been my direct observation. I've overheard many conversations about whether or not people were preparing for the storm, and the general sentiment has been that they feel it'll turn out to be much ado about nothing. I never said I shared that sentiment or thought it wise. I also haven't seen the same sort of rush for supplies that happened before Irene. So chill, I get it that that storm was a big deal for a lot of people.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I wonder if we will ever get to the point where power lines can be buried, and thus won't be threatened by storms like this.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Dude, we've been burying power lines for decades...haven't you been to NYC dozens of times? Have you ever seen power lines?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ I haven't paid attention when I was there.

 

[thestrangequark]

Can't say I blame you...I'm trying to think back on all the bigger cities I've been to and it's hard to remember which had buried power lines.