Thank goodness. How wonderful to wake up this morning with my house intact!
Of course, there is another storm in the same area on an almost identical track headed to the Caribbean right now. Such is hurricane season. One after the other.
We realize how lucky we are. Those of us experienced with typhoons/hurricanes understand that the house was woefully under prepared for a storm of that magnitude. My fellow storm refugees have even offered to help buy plywood for the next storm. Yesterday I spent the day thinking "I invited all my friends to my house so that they could die with me." We would have been fine in a Cat 2 storm but Cat 4? Not good. With another storm possibly on the way we now head to Home Depot to price plywood. We can't afford it but we can't afford no to.
Ironically, we've had more rain today than yesterday. We spent the day finishing the tasks we left undone yesterday. Laundry, vacuum, dishes, rake the yard. Then there is the inevitable moving of all the furnature back to the deck. The house looks fanstastic! I even created a new sitting area that looks onto the back yard. Very Zen. Hope to keep it that way.
Waking up this morning to the news brought back so many memories. Buildings demolished. Homes destroyed. People lost. You get used to saying things like "Remember where the Home Depot used to be?" when giving out directions to your house. You get lost everywhere you go because all street signs and landmarks were blown over. Helpless. Frustrating. I thought those feelings had gone away but it's not true. Part of me would run to Punta Gorda right now if I thought I could help.
But life goes on. The evacuation order lifted around 7PM last night. We hung out until 10 to see the end of Kill Bill 2. As soon as our friends headed out to their homes, Joe's parents called. Do we want to come over for a hurricane party? :-) Sure, why not? Exhausted, I headed out to see our family for an hour or so. That side of the family is filled with night owls. I'm a morning sparrow. Still, it was good to see them.
Now what? Maybe a quick bike ride tomorrow, some disseration work, and well spent time studying the track of the next storm.
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Friday, August 13, 2004
Whew! We're getting our 3rd bout of light rain for the day. I can't describe my releif and dismay. I'm ecstatic that my new house will be spared, my life returned to normal. My heart goes out to those south of here who woke up feeling safe and secure only to find they have 4 hours to get the hell out of Dodge.
Needless to say, the house has reached a level of genuine party. To miss a Cat 4 storm makes us happy. We've outlined our plans for the rest of the season. My brother has arrived in time to make us fresh pizza. He used to work for a local pizzaria. Good food. Good wine.
The best part of the day has been Debbie and Molly. Molly lived on Saipan for 5 years and lived through the equivalent of 2 Cat 5 Hurricanes. Debbie lived through several hurricanes in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Their wisdom gives my advice some credibitlity. I ONLY have Hurricane Andrew. When they agree with me, we form a trimvarate of decision. Hard to get by us.
Keep your fingers crossed. I'll feel better when the storm head to Orlando.
Needless to say, the house has reached a level of genuine party. To miss a Cat 4 storm makes us happy. We've outlined our plans for the rest of the season. My brother has arrived in time to make us fresh pizza. He used to work for a local pizzaria. Good food. Good wine.
The best part of the day has been Debbie and Molly. Molly lived on Saipan for 5 years and lived through the equivalent of 2 Cat 5 Hurricanes. Debbie lived through several hurricanes in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Their wisdom gives my advice some credibitlity. I ONLY have Hurricane Andrew. When they agree with me, we form a trimvarate of decision. Hard to get by us.
Keep your fingers crossed. I'll feel better when the storm head to Orlando.
Good news for us: the powers that be say the storm will turn early making landfall 2 hours south of here. Bad news for them because they thought they had dodged the bullett.
I can't wait for it to make landfall.
We're only on the first bottle of wine. Things are quite tame.
Surprisingly, my internet connection has been in high demand among the refugees. No one wants to turn on the TV to get the news. Everyone wants to check their email and check the models and read the storm discussion from the Tropical Prediction Center. I've created a tribe of weather monsters. :-)
However, the mood has shifted from "who will hide in which closet" to "should we watch Kill Bill or play DOA". Some are even trying to take a nap.
I can't wait for it to make landfall.
We're only on the first bottle of wine. Things are quite tame.
Surprisingly, my internet connection has been in high demand among the refugees. No one wants to turn on the TV to get the news. Everyone wants to check their email and check the models and read the storm discussion from the Tropical Prediction Center. I've created a tribe of weather monsters. :-)
However, the mood has shifted from "who will hide in which closet" to "should we watch Kill Bill or play DOA". Some are even trying to take a nap.
Squalls out on the gulfstream
Big storm's coming soon
No rain as of yet. The party has begun. Around 11AM I declared that it is 5 O'clock somewhere. We took the appropriate weather radar photos, "before" photos of the house and car. Other than that, we're hanging on.
The longer the day progresses, the more likely it seems the storm will arrive on our doorstep.
We've got wine, cheezits, pretzels, and frozen chicken. Well, and batteries and candles and stuff like that. Right now we're trying to keep everyone relaxed, get Joe over his migraine, and get the spaghetti cooked while we have power. Look for a DOA video game tournament soon. Either that or a Kill Bill double feature. :-)
Big storm's coming soon
No rain as of yet. The party has begun. Around 11AM I declared that it is 5 O'clock somewhere. We took the appropriate weather radar photos, "before" photos of the house and car. Other than that, we're hanging on.
The longer the day progresses, the more likely it seems the storm will arrive on our doorstep.
We've got wine, cheezits, pretzels, and frozen chicken. Well, and batteries and candles and stuff like that. Right now we're trying to keep everyone relaxed, get Joe over his migraine, and get the spaghetti cooked while we have power. Look for a DOA video game tournament soon. Either that or a Kill Bill double feature. :-)
The party has begun. Around 8:45 Molly and Debbie arrived. The police drove through their apartment complex, blaring the evacuation order. Michelle arrived a few minutes later with her dog, Raven.
My dog, Nikki, doesn't really like other dogs, however, she is willing to tolerate Raven as long as he's in another room separated by a baby gate. I'll take what I can get.
It's got to be 5 O'clock somewhere.
My dog, Nikki, doesn't really like other dogs, however, she is willing to tolerate Raven as long as he's in another room separated by a baby gate. I'll take what I can get.
It's got to be 5 O'clock somewhere.
The models have converged.
Over the past few days the computer models used to "predict" hurricane movement showed several scenarios. Since Wednesday, Charlie has moved from a storm headed into the Gulf of Mexico, to a storm headed to south Florida, and now my house. On any given day, the 12 or so models showed 2, sometimes 3 possible tracks. That's why hurricane forcasters seem to practice Voodoo. Which models do they believe? Why? What if they are wrong? Yesterday, I read a storm discussion from a meterologist to said (in science-speak): to heck with the models, they are predicting physically impossible things.
Gone is that wonderful diversity. The voodoo priest was right.
Over the past few days the computer models used to "predict" hurricane movement showed several scenarios. Since Wednesday, Charlie has moved from a storm headed into the Gulf of Mexico, to a storm headed to south Florida, and now my house. On any given day, the 12 or so models showed 2, sometimes 3 possible tracks. That's why hurricane forcasters seem to practice Voodoo. Which models do they believe? Why? What if they are wrong? Yesterday, I read a storm discussion from a meterologist to said (in science-speak): to heck with the models, they are predicting physically impossible things.
Gone is that wonderful diversity. The voodoo priest was right.
Polite Absurdity
Here is our local National Weather Service forcast for this morning:
Today: Periods of rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Chance of precipitation is 100%. High around 85. Windy, with a east southeast wind 11 to 14 mph increasing to between 67 and 70 mph. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Not too bad, right? Afterall, this is Florida in the summer time.
Tonight: Periods of rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 2am, then rain and thunderstorms likely after 2am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Low around 78. Windy, with a east wind 110 to 113 mph becoming southwest 22 to 25 mph. New rainfall amounts in excess of four inches possible.
Again, typical Florida summer. Except for the whole 110 mph wind part.
Here is our local National Weather Service forcast for this morning:
Today: Periods of rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Chance of precipitation is 100%. High around 85. Windy, with a east southeast wind 11 to 14 mph increasing to between 67 and 70 mph. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Not too bad, right? Afterall, this is Florida in the summer time.
Tonight: Periods of rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 2am, then rain and thunderstorms likely after 2am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Low around 78. Windy, with a east wind 110 to 113 mph becoming southwest 22 to 25 mph. New rainfall amounts in excess of four inches possible.
Again, typical Florida summer. Except for the whole 110 mph wind part.
A few clouds outline the coming light as the sun makes its way into the sky, as I awake this morning. No wind.
A siren slices through the stillness of this typical Florida morning. Over an over again. Erratically. Trying to get someone's attention. And it is.
Through a twist of fate that is truely Florida, people 200 yards away have to leave their homes due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Charlie. The hill along the street (if you can call it that) rises 8 feet higher as you head up the block to our house.
We can stay. They must go. The siren calls for them.
Soon chaos begins. Several friends will arrive at the house. Refugees from Hurricane Charlie. Many people are leaving no matter what their evacualtion zone. We choose to stay.
Before my beloved Joe wakes up, before all the friends arrive and my mother starts calling, I have a few moments of peace to share with God and my dog.
The day should prove interesting.
A siren slices through the stillness of this typical Florida morning. Over an over again. Erratically. Trying to get someone's attention. And it is.
Through a twist of fate that is truely Florida, people 200 yards away have to leave their homes due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Charlie. The hill along the street (if you can call it that) rises 8 feet higher as you head up the block to our house.
We can stay. They must go. The siren calls for them.
Soon chaos begins. Several friends will arrive at the house. Refugees from Hurricane Charlie. Many people are leaving no matter what their evacualtion zone. We choose to stay.
Before my beloved Joe wakes up, before all the friends arrive and my mother starts calling, I have a few moments of peace to share with God and my dog.
The day should prove interesting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)