Hurricane Florence

[Brent S]

I was down by Miami this morning. The whole ride down I saw dozens of utility trucks and lots of national guard equipment heading north. It really does seem like the response is better organized than other storms past. The new truck I picked up is diesel, and luckily has a 55gal auxiliary fuel tank in it. I didn’t see any lines at stations, but am only up as far as Daytona for the night. I’m hoping I won’t see any for the rest of the trip tomorrow, but the diesel can make the trip on full tanks easily. The car will have to fill up once during the 500more miles to go but I don’t expect any problems. I’m hoping the worst will be an additional hour due to some heavier traffic. I feel for anyone living near the coast. My brother in laws father has a home on the outer banks but at least he was smart enough to build it on 8’ stilts. He had the water come up just to the bottom of the place during a storm several years ago, but avoided any major damage to it. Of course he lost vehicles and utilities, but did have a home to come back to after everything settled. If I lived near the water anywhere in the SE I would consider 12’ posts....

 

[Brent S]

Do we have anyone from coastal NC on this forum?

 

[DrHenley]

I just called my daughter in Arlington, VA and told her I'm not going to be there for her birthday due to the hurricane. Dammit.

 

[Brent S]

I just called my daughter in Arlington, VA and told her I'm not going to be there for her birthday due to the hurricane. Dammit.

Smart move. Sucks, but smart.

 

[DrHenley]

I kept putting off cancelling, holding out hope that Florence would peter out or change course. What clinched it is when I heard the news that gas is getting scarce in both Carolinas. I would need to fill up in the Carolinas.

 

[Brent S]

Even with fuel you can carry cans with you, but driving in heavy rains with flooding potential, downed power lines and trees, etc. just dosent make good sense.

 

[Maverick]

They are saying it may hit cat-5 wed or thur

 

[DrHenley]

If I were taking the truck, I'd load it up with Gerry cans and tough it out. But that's too long of a trip for the old pickup.

 

[Maverick]

With the forecasted flooding Doc I wouldn't tempt it, hope your daughter is in a safe place.

 

[DrPrepper1]

The latest map shows some change in the direction of the hurricane.

 

[Hippophibia]

I am not sure what the huge panic over water is as people go from place to place looking for water. Just fill any container with tap water which will store better in the long run than bottled water.
I see so many YT vids and articles of people desperate and frantic to get water - it is totally bizarre as the taps are still working!!!!

The things to go for are fuel for vehicles, bread, tin goods, BBQ gas, torches and batteries. Small camp butane stoves are very popular in Australia. I have seen images of people lining up for BBQ gas bottles - the people know what is needed, but leave it too late. As suggested ice for refrigeration, or make your own ice. Completely filling a chest freezer will keep thing cooler for longer.

Prepper items to consider is a few good tarps in case one gets roof damage - a big storm hit the east coast of Australia in 2015 - emergency services ran out of tarps to fix leaking roofs from tree damage. Tarp and buckets can be handy for collecting water. Buckets and hand washing soap powder for cloths and 'sponge' bathing to get clean. Buckets and thick plastic bags can be useful for emergency toilet requirements.

 

[Gazrok]

I am not sure what the huge panic over water is as people go from place to place looking for water. Just fill any container with tap water which will store better in the long run than bottled water.
I see so many YT vids and articles of people desperate and frantic to get water - it is totally bizarre as the taps are still working!!!!

Most just don't have a lot of containers to easily put it in, but yeah, I get ya. For me, I've got animals to worry about, so I need to have a lot more water stocked than most folks. (but I do, ALL the time, so I never need to rush).

Propane is pretty much the FIRST thing to go around here, days before a storm. I couldn't find it ANYWHERE and that was 4 days before Irma was even coming near us. Not a thing I used to keep in stock much, but do now. (and charcoal. believe it or not, Publix brand (store brand) instant light works better than matchlight).

 

[brandx]

I guess we will find out in the aftermath of Florence but what I'm seeing (from the west coast) is that the Government and NGO agencies are far more organized than I have seen in the past, Virginia, North and South Carolina seem to have their **** together, FEMA, Red Cross and the National Guard already have the staging areas setup, Shelters are already setup and stocked, water rescue teams from the West coast already arrived at the staging areas. The whole Emergency Management team from the States seems well oiled, it was reported from here that some units from the local power companies arrive this morning in Georgia. Even traffic has been set more that twenty hours ago prepared for traffic reversal.

Even Lowe's, Home Depot and Walmart are diverting orders from the West making sure the East coast in the effected areas are taken care of first, good news so far is I seen very little price gouging on Amazon regarding batteries and flashlight like what happen during last hurricane

Hopefully this appearance of being organized isn't just on the surface? Any one close to the areas seeing hearing the same thing?

I am not in the area but Indiana already has energy trucks on the way to help get power back on. They said many would be out of power for many many days, I assume that to mean weeks.

 

[brandx]

I am not sure what the huge panic over water is as people go from place to place looking for water. Just fill any container with tap water which will store better in the long run than bottled water.
I see so many YT vids and articles of people desperate and frantic to get water - it is totally bizarre as the taps are still working!!!!

The things to go for are fuel for vehicles, bread, tin goods, BBQ gas, torches and batteries. Small camp butane stoves are very popular in Australia. I have seen images of people lining up for BBQ gas bottles - the people know what is needed, but leave it too late. As suggested ice for refrigeration, or make your own ice. Completely filling a chest freezer will keep thing cooler for longer.

Prepper items to consider is a few good tarps in case one gets roof damage - a big storm hit the east coast of Australia in 2015 - emergency services ran out of tarps to fix leaking roofs from tree damage. Tarp and buckets can be handy for collecting water. Buckets and hand washing soap powder for cloths and 'sponge' bathing to get clean. Buckets and thick plastic bags can be useful for emergency toilet requirements.

Do not let your gas tank get low and keep extra at home for sure.

 

[brandx]

I just called my daughter in Arlington, VA and told her I'm not going to be there for her birthday due to the hurricane. Dammit.

Born in the wrong season, hurricane season. I'm sure she would want you to be safe and not risk it, better to see you alive later than dead sooner.

 

[Gazrok]

I am not in the area but Indiana already has energy trucks on the way to help get power back on. They said many would be out of power for many many days, I assume that to mean weeks.

A lot of Florida was out for about 4 to 5 days after Irma. Yet we had power trucks here for MONTHS to get things back fully. To get folks up, they do temporary solutions, THEN, they go back and do it RIGHT.... These companies have to be cleaning up due to last year and now this year. I know some guys who do it, who made some serious bank last year (though I wouldn't do what they do).

 

[jontte]

to those that are in the path of that storm;stay safe,keep a level head and no heroics!! unless it's a familymember in harms way.

 

[Gazrok]

I hope most just leave the damn area. For me, I've got animals to look after, etc. and I'm pretty inland. I can't imagine much worse than Cat 2 by the time anything ever reaches us, so I'll stay put for storms (I'm not in the path of this one). But anyone on the coast needs to catch a flight or a bus, now. (I say that over driving, because it's a) cheaper, b) less vehicles on the road out).

 

[Maverick]

They saying prepare for long term power outage, 16 nuclear reactors are preparing and 3 are shutting down, many of the substations can remain under water for days and weeks preventing crews from restoring power.

 

[DrHenley]

Here is the current "Spaghetti Model" map showing all the models. Pretty high confidence now that it will veer southwest or west southwest. Some of the models have it coming straight for us!

 

[jontte]

still CAT-5?

 

[DrHenley]

And here are the five top models as of 11 am Eastern today:

 

[DrHenley]

still CAT-5?

They think it will make landfall as a Cat-3

Looks like landfall will be south of Wilmington, NC. So it won't hit a major city...somewhere around Myrtle Beach, SC probably. The NAM model has a direct hit on Wilmington. Even if Wilmington doesn't get a direct hit, being north of the hurricane it will get a pretty high storm surge.

The main worry right now is that it will stall off the coast and dump feet of rain on the area.

 

[Maverick]

still CAT-5?

It's still a Cat-4 they will know later tonight or tomorrow morning if it's going to remain a cat-4, they saying the winds on the coast will hit at 140mph with gust at 165mpg, at those winds and the amount of rain I don't thinks the residents is going to care with it being a 4 or 5, this doesn't look good for multiple states including Northern Georgia, Northern Georgia is part of the staging area for the emergency crews, now they maybe part of the story?

 

[DrHenley]

When it makes landfall, the north side of the eye is what will get the heaviest rains and storm surge. If it stalls off the coast however, the rains will be heavy both north and south.

 

[Gazrok]

Currently, it's a Cat 3, but only a few mph shy of being Cat 4 again. Still, I had a Cat 2 roll over us directly, both sides of the eyewall, and we were without power for 5 days, and cleaning up for weeks....so don't rely too much on such numbers. A nasty storm is a nasty storm.

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

I like the look of that pink track... Ends right at me! I could go for a few more good storms this year.

Everyone stay safe and healthy!

 

[DrPrepper1]

The media is now reporting ( Buisness Insider) that 2 nuclear plants are in the direct path of the storm. They have been ordered to shutdown 12 hours prior to the storm. It could take weeks to restore full power. There could be as much as 9 feet of water, but the plants are supposed to be waterproof upto 22 feet.

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

Not trying to be doomsday and gloom here, at all. But I've worked shutdowns at nukes. I'm guessing! That 22 feet would be the turbine deck. Yeah, if that flooded, it would certainly be catastrophic.

But waterproof below the turbine deck? Hardly. A lot of space below the turbine floor is pipes and pumps and motors and all sorts of equipment I have no clue about, except that it sure didn't look like stuff that should be underwater.

But I just worked on turbines, I don't really know much else.

 

[WGregMiller]

Current hurricane center track, until they change it again...