Sandy, a Dangerous Hybrid Storm

No one can tell you whether this storm will bring flooding, protracted power outages, mandatory evacuation,  heavy snow, blizzards, tree damage, or other heavy wind damage.  Different locations will certainly have varying experiences with this storm.All that we can do is plan, anticipate, and hope for the best.

       

    In the next few days, the East Coast of the United States is about to have an encounter with Hurricane Sandy.  Sandy is virtually a unique storm in that it is a hurricane which will be combined with a Noreaster, a significant snowstorm, with an additional weather front. This storm is going to leave the East quite cold afterward.  Incidentally, this is also occurring over a full moon, which may contribute to a higher storm swell.   Tens of millions of Americans off the East Coast are likely to be impacted by this storm.   Many locations along the East Coast are under mandatory evacuations.  This storm will then move on to Canada.
          I know that if you are a follower of this blog then I am preaching to the choir, however, it is important to prepare.


1. Make sure you have bottled water.   Even if you are like me, and have a hand pump feature on your well, severe flooding could adversely impact your well in some places.

2. Obtain bread, peanut butter and non-perishable foods for perhaps a week.  Power outage estimates in some places could be one or two weeks depending upon your location.

3. Fill up your car and get some cash from the ATM. Grab whatever you need for the next week from the pharmacy.  If there is a protracted outage, then none of these things will be possible soon.   Get cyalume lightsticks, or flashlights, batteries, etc.  Get diapers if you use them.  Charge ALL of your phone and chargeable devices right now.

4. Secure or being in your lawn furniture.  This storm is also unusual in that you should also keep shovels near your doors because at the end of this peculiar hurricane, you may be shovelling snow.

5. Make whatever arrangements you can to cancel your activities in the early part of next week.  Very little that we do is worth risking our lives over.

6. If you are ordered to evacuate, then please do so, and take your animals.

   This is a Sandy google map which is updated regularly:

     http://google.org/crisismap/sandy-2012


     This is one of the things we prepare for.  I am praying for each of you.  Stay safe, stay home if you can, and help whomever you can.