Posted on 10/28/2012 4:27:40 PM PDT by eastexsteve
I hope none of you folks are in the path of Sandy. But, if you are, there are some things you need to consider.
It's only a cat 1 storm. There will be some high wind. But, nothing you can't ride out in a STURDY building. But, you WILL lose power. Perhaps for days. If you live on the coast, all bets are off. Get out now.
What you will see out of this storm is torrential rains and flooding. Prepare for it. Even if it means evacuating. If you decide to stay, make sure you and your car are on high ground. You will see water in places you never imagined.
If you invest in a generator, make sure you have enough fuel to last you for several days. Even a 5000 watt generator can use almost a gallon of fuel per hour under a full load. Plan on running it sporadically during the power outage. A few hours on and off will keep your fridge and freezer cool enough. And, small generators are also known to consume engine oil. Have a couple of spare quarts on hand. Remember, electricity and water are a bad combination.
Have plenty of food on hand that you don't have to cook. You might be without power for days. The power company will not begin repairs until after the storm has passed.
You will need water, and plenty of it. Drinking water is just part of it. Fill up every bathtub in the house. You may need to dip water out of it to manually flush your toilets. Make sure everyone in the house takes a bath/shower before the storm hits. Make sure all the laundry is done.
Batteries, flashlights, lanterns, and candles. 'nuff said.
Make sure your vehicles are full of gas. Even if you don't go anywhere, you may need them to recharge cell phones, listen to the radio, and even get in out of the cold. But, for gosh sakes, don't sit in a running car inside a garage! And, don't cook on a camp stove in the house!
I don't know about the northeast, but after a torrential hurricane down here in the south, the mosquitoes and flies are merciless.
Protect yourself. Disasters like hurricanes bring out the vermin (both two and and four-legged variety.)
It isn’t the wind, it’s the fact the storm will get trapped by a cold front that’s already given us two days of rain, and a nor’easter that comes with its own water supply. Southern NY water drains south to PA, which has a long history of nasty floods when they get a little too much rain. Coastal areas also have storm surge + full moon high tides.
The wind will be enough for tree branches downing power lines. It will make nice news shots, but we’re used to that and as prepared as possible. The problem is the water, the drainage, the flooding even after the rain stops.
Unfortunately, it’s the only thing that will be on the news this week.
Even after downgrade to tropical storm strength, Hugo really tore up Charlotte NC, many miles inland. I helped cleanup efforts there, and the term “natural disaster” doesn’t come close to what I saw.
In rural farm areas, you only saw a few blown out barns, but once you hit the more densely populated areas, only 10% of the roads were passable because of huge amounts of storm debris, and power lines were down in multiple places on each city block due to fallen old growth trees.
Not really life threatening, but a total pain in the backside for residents who had to wait weeks for power to get back to their house, and slightly less than that for all the roads to be open again.
The areas Sandy will cover are several times more densely populated than Charlotte.
Even after downgrade to tropical storm strength, Hugo really tore up Charlotte NC, many miles inland. I helped cleanup efforts there, and the term “natural disaster” doesn’t come close to what I saw.
In rural farm areas, you only saw a few blown out barns, but once you hit the more densely populated areas, only 10% of the roads were passable because of huge amounts of storm debris, and power lines were down in multiple places on each city block due to fallen old growth trees.
Not really life threatening, but a total pain in the backside for residents who had to wait weeks for power to get back to their house, and slightly less than that for all the roads to be open again.
The areas Sandy will cover are several times more densely populated than Charlotte.
Straight down 109, then over Montauk Hwy., then straight down to about 3 blocks before the bay.
I believe the entire neighborhood was flooded during Gloria. We think it will be worse this time.
The surge will probably will between 5 and 10 feet which will take the water into her living room.
Hugo was still classified as a hurricane as far as Greensboro in my recollection. It blew the roof off the house I was living in ther at the time. Horizontal wimdblown rain that was too warm, like a dog panting on you.
It's the size of the storm plus the unusual storm track that will produce a once-every-several-hundred years storm surge on a very populated coast line.
Sandy isn't Irene. Irene was a dying hurricane that was on a typical track that causes hurricanes to disintegrate.
That said, your rebuild picture is pretty funny.
You are disregarding the startup surge requirement. Can be as much as triple. I have even seen six times specified.
I have run into this myself with a small portable A/C. Although the inverter was rated for double the continuous amp draw, it would not start, just hummed. The quality of the AC output power is significant also.
The only thing that would save you is if the 750 watts actually IS the startup surge requirement. Possible with the newest ones, I guess.
True, except the two cats whine like liberals. :)
Yeah, the underground power. Where do you think the water is going to go? You will lose your power.
If you are outside over the next few days you will see more rats than you can imagine coming up from sewers full of water.
I am getting a little pissed at the folks from Fl poo pooing this storm as “just a cat 1.”
If Fla was about to be hit with a blizzard, you would feel as we do. And I have seen you guys drive on 1/4 of snow and its dangerously funny.
Listen to your local alerts. If they say get out of you NY high rise, then get out.
Thank you for pointing out what a fool I was to try to explain something to you.
It’ll not happen again.
*
I think that was starting to happen yesterday on Long Beach Island(NJ). I was reading reports of water already being in the streets... I have family who live in Barnegat Light.
Completely useless, coming from a Florida native and hurricane veteran. A PITA to clean off after the event, too. The best way to save windows is to cover them with plywood.
From a SC hurricane vet never scroll your cursor arrow over the eye of an image of the storm on the web repeatedly poking it in the eye. You’ll just make it mad.
Architecture in the Northeast doesnt understand horizontal rain like we do in the South. Snow loads? You bet. but driven rain, sideways, for 3 hours? Nope. Its gonna seep around window seals and door jambs, etc.
What is done architecturally in the south to manage driving rain?
And it doesn't make the resultant wrecks any less real!
You've got the right of it...
Can’t describe the specifics very well, but say you go to Ft Lauderdale and stay in a newer hotel of condo. Take a look at hos the windows are channeled and how they are flashed/ fit in the building etc. They are truly design to keep a high pressure spray of water out.
I grew up in upstate NY and now live in the South, and travel to the gulf Coast a lot.
When you compare commercial and residential windows, doors, eaves etc., you can see it’s different.
Not an architect here.
I agree with plywood, but that’s not feasible in a NYC high rise.
If you haven’t already bought it, be SURE to check the peak and steady state power output of the inverter. Some are just too small.
The BIG ones generally connect directly to the battery.
It IS a good idea to get one.
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