<p>I grew up on the Gulf Coast and waiting for hurricanes was a favorite past time for almost any elementary student (anyone remember tracking hurricanes on the charts found on brown paper grocery bags?). How one prepared depended on how far they were from the coast, where the storm was expected to land, etc. </p>
<p>But now we’re in the land of ignorance. We just co-purchased a condo with D1 in South Boston; she moved in three weeks ago. It’s new construction, but she’s less than ½ mile from the coast. I am watching The Weather Channel and they ran a story of people at a Natick, MA home improvement store getting ready for Irene! I’m thinking, either it’s a slow news day, this is more news sensationalism, or D1 needs to make some preparations that we don’t know about. Seriously… by the time this storm makes its way up the coast, and hits colder water as well as land mass, how bad could it be?</p>
<p>She’s a very bright, responsible kid, and has probably already done her due diligence research, but it would be nice if we had a checklist to go through with her. She’s a three-week old homeowner and could worry a bit. I think the media tends to over exaggerate some of this stuff. I do feel sort of bad for her employer, though, as this weekend they have movers scheduled to move their offices from a north suburban location to Beacon St. downtown!</p>
<p>“… by the time this storm makes its way up the coast, and hits colder water as well as land mass, how bad could it be?”</p>
<p>In the forty years I’ve lived in the Northeast, there have been just three “name-worthy” hurricanes. It’s unlikely Irene will be #4. And even if the storm strengthens, it’s unlikely there’s much your D can do to prepare, other than gassing up her car, filling the tub with water, and purchasing stuff like flashlights, batteries, ice, bottled water, and dried/canned foods (in case the electricity goes out). I haven’t a clue why her employer is moving their offices downtown. Nothing like that is happening in Connecticut!</p>
<p>Bottled water (1 gallon per person per day)
flashlight and batteries
Portable radio (the Red Cross hand-crank models are cool!)
non-perishable food that won’t need cooking
A hand-crank cell phone charger is usually a good idea, too.</p>
<p>
I think it’s purely a coincidence that the office move was scheduled for the same weekend that a hurricane arrives.</p>
<p>In case you don’t have a portable radio, you can always go out to your car and listen to that radio. I thought of that during a snowstorm this winter when our power was out but I needed to see if school had been canceled. Seems obvious, but several of my friends said they hadn’t thought of that, either.</p>
<p>We’re farther south, so more affected by hurricane leftovers, but one thing I always do in preparation is check the deck and patio for objects that could be tossed around in high wind situations. Forgot to think of it when I was a new homeowner and was amazed by how far a lightweight patio table could be blown.</p>
<p>I will be cooking the lobster and rib roast in my freezer before Sunday, because no matter what kind of storm we get I will loose my power. Guaranteed.</p>
Hurricane Bob in 1991 blew the top of the chimney off my house.</p>
<p>Weather-watching is a major spectator sport in this area, and the tabloid-esque sensationalist news stations (channel 7, I’m looking at you) pander to this with all sorts of over-hyped stories. It’s ridiculous.</p>
<p>So every time a big storm is forecast, you can expect some station to do a story at a grocery store or Home Depot, trying to get people to say how excited/worried/panicked/nervous they are. </p>
<p>I’m kind of surprised the Weather Channel is stooping to this.</p>
<p>Best part of snowstorms, hurricanes, etc., is checking the Weather Channel to see where Jim Cantore is stationed. It’s like a prediction of where the weather will be most dangerous.</p>
<p>DD saved her little Hurricane Bob t-shirt “Battered not Broken” with a bandaid across a drawing of the Cape.
DH used to work for a grocery chain. Supposedly beer and pop tarts are the really big sellers before a storm.
I don’t think in New England we’re allowed to have anymore really bad storms since Shelby Scott isn’t reporting ;-(</p>
<p>During Hurricane Bob, DH and I drove to the local BJ’s, to see how the parking lot looked. DH had designed the drainage and detention pond for it. He was pleased that the lot wasn’t flooded, lol.</p>
<p>Lived in the MA area for 30 years–can only remember two hurricanes (Gloria and Bob) causing some serious damage. That being said, the torrential rains and winds that do end up hitting us in August and September aren’t fun and it’s a good idea to have supplies/food and to bring any items that might blow away (grill, planter, lawn chair, etc.) inside. </p>
<p>The local channels cover these storms (as well as Nor’easters in the winter) non-stop. Makes it seem like the situation is worse than it really is. Plus, it sends everyone rushing to the grocery store.</p>
<p>Here in eastern NC we’re taking it pretty seriously. Got our boat out of the water this afternoon. I’d bet my last dollar that Jim Cantore will be reporting from the Outer Banks.
Ocracoke Island started evacuations early this a.m. We’re hoping it steers further offshore.</p>
<p>I stand corrected. The last “name-worthy” hurricane was twenty years ago, not twenty-six.</p>
<p>I admit to being a bit jaded. When I think “bad hurricane” I think Andrew or Katrina. Bob and Gloria were big by New England standards, but nothing compared to A and K. I expect Irene will down some trees … if for no other reason than there hasn’t been strong wind and heavy rain here (in CT) for years.</p>
<p>I went thru both Gloria and Bob…Bob was the stronger of the two on the Cape at least…and a dry hurricane. I distinctly recall my father in law ( who had two boats that broke their moorings and ended up on the beach ) decided to take his boat out based on the warnings of gale force winds…this was on Sunday morning…by the 11pm news, the hurricane path had been changed from projected direct hit to the outer banks , to aiming straight for the Cape…most people had very little time to get their boats out of the water. Before the storm hit , there were 120 boats on moorings and in slips at out yacht club…several hours later , 80 of them were gone
There wasn’t massive storm surge , and not a lot of home damage , but some of my family’s homes were without power for a week, and there were many downed trees…trees that were home to nesting yellow jackets…lots of angry bees stinging !</p>
<p>When my dad was alive he would talk in awe of the Hurricane of 1938 and the damage across New England. Current weather channel model has it coming ashore in New London CT, which is where '38 one did. </p>
<p>We just prepped our Jersey Shore house today - brought in all porch furniture, took down hanging baskets and pulled down storm windows. Not much else to do, but have plenty of canned goods and a sense of humor.</p>
<p>We are in one of the projected paths and I am really worried…about our business. If something happens to our home ,we are insured…not so for our business locations ( with one exception ) It could be catastrophic for us.</p>
<p>We’re probably going to drive down Friday to batten down the hatches in our near-Cape May home. (Just left yesterday, thinking at the time that Irene was not heading out way.)I just now talked to a neighbor who’s lived there 70 years–she’s seriously concerned about this one. I hope it’s just a little rain and some downed trees, but I’m taking this one seriously.</p>