[Tin Knocker]

Being prepared is smart, but people really freak out over these things. Worst case scenerio we without power for maybe 4 or 5 days. But why the panic to buy gas & everything else under the sun? If its bad enough that a regular weeks worth of food wont do it for you then a few dozen more eggs wont help.
Only regret I have is not bringing my generator home from camp last week.

[Tin Knocker]

Originally Posted by noneyabiz

Ok, guys, thanks! Found the City of Norwalk website. I got ahold of someone and they say Van Zant doesn't usually flood. I actually called the Police Dept. They said if I change my mind, to give them a call and they can give me a ride to Brien McMahon High School. But I Think I will stay put and pray for the best....no resources to vacate anyways.

Dont worry about it. You have a FD right there anyway.

[Konig1985]

Our house has a garage at the basement level that declines from the driveway and the previous owner told me water has gone into the garage previously from a very heavy storm but just a little bit.

I was ready to drive 9 hours from Toronto back to the house to lay sandbag barriers at the garage doors and operate a water pump at the lowest point (under my deck beside the garage) but then I remembered: I might save the garage + basement from flooding but I cant come back to work on Monday with all the fallen trees.

All I can say is Im lucky there are no major wetlands around me except a tiny brook in the conversation land backing my house. Has anyone piled sandbags to protect their basement?

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Konig1985

Our house has a garage at the basement level that declines from the driveway and the previous owner told me water has gone into the garage previously from a very heavy storm but just a little bit.

If it's happened "just a little bit" in the past, you can guarantee it will happen during this storm.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by Cambium

Keep in mind the Tornado threat is high during when rain bands move inland....The problem will be ; we'll think that the sound is a wind gust but it could be a Tornado coming.

Everyone should sign up for weather alerts to be sent as a text to their cell phone!
weather.com (no sprint) or accuweathercom or weatherusa.net.

It takes a few seconds to sign up for free. Alerts will be sent to phone regarding Tornado or weather warnings.

Why this isnt mandated frustrates me.

I don't have cell service at my home the hill to my south blocks cell towers.

[ctwhitechin]

ok here is a good RELIABLE website for wind, windfinder.com Click on the link below, this is for Hartford, but if you play around with the site you can click on various areas of CT. I have used this as an accurate forecast since I fish offshore quite a bit, and they have not steered me wrong yet, for Hartford area for tomorrow, top wind gusts in the 60's, not horrendous. we will probably have sustained wind around 50 for quite some time. I doubt we will see 80-100 mile gusts inland here. Good luck everyone, I'm going to go watch some people panic.

Windfinder - Wind & weather forecast Hartford-Brainard Airport

[Cambium]

Irene grew in size but weakened a little. The clouds over us right now is from Irene. You can feel the humidity.

Reports starting to come in from N.Carolina. I wont list them all but you can image. Tornados involved too which is devastating on its own...I can't imagine having a roof ripped off durring a Hurricane. Poor people.

[Angelic_Avalon]

Irene is one big lady LOL

[JViello]

Originally Posted by jp03

Really? I think they are NAILING this one dead on..heck they gave you a weeks warning practically..weather forecasting has come a LONG way...its remarkable

Oh I think they can get the track pretty decent these days, but why didn't anyone realize that dry air from the SW would inflow and basically start taking this thing apart?

This storm is coming apart at the seams. I really doubt it's going to be anything by the time it gets here. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but you can see it on the radar. The Southern portion of the storm is practically disappearing. North of NC it's not going to strengthen.

Originally Posted by Antlered Chamataka

What the F is going on...... I just came home from Stop & Shop amidst a rabid and impatient crowd of hooligan shoppers, with almost all aisles 80% empty, barring the expensive organic items, which is privy to us rich folks

This is insane. I survived the fricking 2004 Asian tsunami, can this be so bad??????????????

LOL You got it spot on! If there is ever a real disaster in this nation, watch this country come unraveled. A shotgun is what you'll need in those times, not water.

Originally Posted by Antlered Chamataka

I'm somewhat late I guess. I worked out so happily and honestly I went to Stop & Shop to pick up coffee creamer, gourmet coffee beans & social tea biscuits and this is when the real world hit me. I have three big bottles of Arcadia spring water. That's it.

I stood there for 30 seconds not knowing how to react. Ce n'est pas correct

Do you have city water? If so you'll probably not lose water. Fill up containers, and the bathtub to use for general purposes. Freeze big blocks of ice and keep them in your fridge/freezer.

Originally Posted by Tin Knocker

Being prepared is smart, but people really freak out over these things. Worst case scenerio we without power for maybe 4 or 5 days. But why the panic to buy gas & everything else under the sun? If its bad enough that a regular weeks worth of food wont do it for you then a few dozen more eggs wont help.
Only regret I have is not bringing my generator home from camp last week.

Again, I agree. However with the fuel, I can understand just in case you need to "get out" and the gas stations don't have any power. The station down the street from me is sold out though. Thankfully we have diesels and there is plenty of that left.

Originally Posted by ctwhitechin

ok here is a good RELIABLE website for wind, windfinder.com Click on the link below, this is for Hartford, but if you play around with the site you can click on various areas of CT. I have used this as an accurate forecast since I fish offshore quite a bit, and they have not steered me wrong yet, for Hartford area for tomorrow, top wind gusts in the 60's, not horrendous. we will probably have sustained wind around 50 for quite some time. I doubt we will see 80-100 mile gusts inland here. Good luck everyone, I'm going to go watch some people panic.

Windfinder - Wind & weather forecast Hartford-Brainard Airport

Good link, thanks for that. One of the problems we have are these older mature trees, a lot of them with rotten centers. I had two crash on my property in the last year with minimal wind gusts. It's not going to take much for these type of trees to come down.

The issue with electricity here is that this is a regional thing. Crews from NJ can't come help CT, and CT can't go help NY because we all are hammered. Just think back to the ice storm from hell to get an idea. I doubt nearly as bad as that, but same principles.

As for this storm? Weak sauce. Lots of rain which will probably be good business but I don't like earning money in that way.

I'm glad it's not going to impact us hard, but the weather geek in me wanted to see some power displayed and honest, as crazy as it sounds, getting things shook up to a small degree at times is good for the soul.

[Cambium]

Irene made landfall Cape Lookout, NC just before 8am. Should stay Cat 1 all the way up.. I believe Sustained winds should still bearound 50-60mph with higher gusts if you're near the center of it.