Hurricane Irene

[Sanchica27]

Still hanging in here, only managed to sleep for about an hour and the center hasn't actually hit us yet but so far we are ok.  We have no idea how are neighborhood is faring because we are pretty far away from it but it doesn't seem like much major damage has been done yet.  We did loose power quite a few hours ago but at least we have generator power here keeping some tings working.

[djm195]

I'll swim over from the Bronx to bring you a loaf of bread, if it gets bad Sanch....

Can you just picture this? HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
Umm....honey...there's someone at the door wearing Donald Duck water wings and carrying a soggy loaf a bread...should I let him in?  

Seriously though, I hope eveyone is ok -- it's hitting NY right now. They're talking about the salt water going underground and affecting the power grids. The flooding is unbelieveable in lower Manhattan....I don't ever remember anything like this before in NYC.

We are hunkering down here in Coastal Southern Maine. Should hit us at noon. Just so you know...if I'm not around after this it's because I killed myself. If a tree falls on our house and ruins my new, 75K post-squirrel roof job...it will throw me over the edge.

Hey..speaking of which, I forgot to post pictures of the gift annie got me.

OMG...it's like I have ADD on this thread.   HA!

Stay safe my East Coast friends....

[jpup]

Although we had lots of rain and wind in central North Carolina we are fine here,  BUT we can't find out ANYTHING about our house in New Bern. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst hit places in North Carolina. The winds(75mph) and rain (over 10 inches) were worse there than on the outer banks!! And the storm went on for hours and hours.

 Flooding is awful there and trees are down everywhere. Power is out, no water either- at least not the kind you drink (LOL). The only neighbors we know there are here with us- we can't get through to anyone there who can check on our houses. Roads are closed entering into New Bern,too. The few pictures I have seen from there are pretty bad. I will try to drive there within the next couple of days as soon as the roads are clear to see if our house needs repairs(hopefully it is still standing) and if we still have a dock left. I've heard a few reports that there are boats sitting in peoples' yards, still flooded streets (although those should subside today), trees on houses, Docks totally wiped out. And these are just a few of the reports I've been able to find.
 I'm not sure what to expect-but I am hoping for the best.

Good luck to everyone else in its path-stay safe. Material items can be replaced.

[lovecolor]

A huge tree came down in across the street from my house...taking down the power lined.  We were able to  put in a generator a few years ago...but our bad luck, it won't turn on...and the service people arent returning our call.   At least I hear a chainsaw now so the road might be passable soon...lots of rain but winds are light now.

[Trinkette]

This storm just sat over NC. Then by the time it got to NY, it picked-up speed and took-off (and lost its hurricane status)... seems like coastal NC took the biggest hit for everyone else. I hope you all are safe. It is a beautiful day in VA.

We are hunkering down here in Coastal Southern Maine. Should hit us at noon. Just so you know...if I'm not around after this it's because I killed myself. If a tree falls on our house and ruins my new, 75K post-squirrel roof job...it will throw me over the edge.

DJM, you crack me up. 

[Sanchica27]

Hey everyone!  Hubby and I made it home safe.  The flooding literally stopped one block away from our place and a tree fell on the property but since we weren't there it didn't crush our cars, yay for leaving!  We got all of the animals home for the shelter and I think they are happier to be here than we are!  My mother's house was not as lucky.  The ground floor flooded but it's not severe.  Only a soaked carpet that we can tell so far.  The swimming pool is a green murky mess and the neighborhood is still flooded but by the time she makes it home tomorrow all of the water should have receded.  Thank you all for your thoughts!

[Trinkette]

Lovecolor, I sympathize about your leaks. Hopefully, they will be an easy fix (although still a nuisance).

Sanchica, good to know you and family are safe. Sorry to hear about the water at your mother's home.



Sooooooooo, does this mean David did not make his soggy-loaf swim? I was really looking forward to hearing about that... 

[Diamondsbylauren]

Thank goodness everyone is ok!

My neighborhood is messy for sure- but just small branches and a lot of leaves....whew.

I came down to check on the office- 47th street is eerily quite- but no apparent damage

[DiamondsAreForever]

The sky has brightened up here in central NJ.  No rain, and the roads are drying, but, it VERY windy right now.

[Diamondluvr]

Glad to hear everyone is OK!  Storms are no fun!!!

This year has really been an awful weather year for many-us included!!!  Lots of Tornado's, record rain fall and huge hail-so we can really sympathize!  Our lake is up over 3 and a half FEET this year due to the crazy horrible storms we've had with terrible rainfall, which flooded our boathouse, tore up our shoreline and landscaping took down several trees.  It could be worse though as our neighbors have the lake literally in their basement without any means of it receding anytime soon!

Stay safe!!!

[lovecolor]

Well, we have been waiting  all day for either con ed or  the town to send help to our neighborhood...no one came.  There are three trees that came down...blocking the road in
,tthere different places...plus three electrical poles that are down with exposed wires .  no car can get through until repair trucks come for the wires and trees....anyone have a helicopter that I can borrow?    

[DiamondsAreForever]

Well, we have a little bit of an issue.  There is an historic creek that runs through several towns.  It's called the Assunpink.  Named by the Leni Lenape (the resident Native Americans before the Whites came), the Second Battle of Trenton (AKA The Battle of the Assunpink Creek) was fought on its banks  near where it empties into the Delaware River.  Further up, in the Mercerville section of Hamilton, it isn't as deep and usually overruns its banks.  Where the USGS monitors the creek in Trenton, it reaches flood stage at 8.5 feet.  Right now, it's at 15.2 feet.  The old record of 14.6 feet occurred in the seventies, and I remember how bad it was then.  Rich's parents would tell me stories of how the water stopped two doors down from them before it receded back then.  It's knocking on his Dad's door again, it's two doors away.  Rich stores three of his hot rods there.  We may be moving them in the middle of the night.  BTW, the creek is a quarter mile away from their house.

[Mikla]

I'm sorry you are having trouble with flooding.  Storm surge and flooding is definitely one of the damaging effects a hurricane brings.  At least the meteorologists were wrong about the intensity of the storm.  If you go to get the cars, please be safe!  Flash flooding can occur before you know it and power lines can be under water.  Also, water can hide where the road might be washed away and where there may be other debris that is lying on the road.  Are your in-laws out of the house already?  Check with the local authorities and utilities to make sure it's safe to drive through there.  I'm scared for you!  Let us know when you know more and please exercise caution!  

Have we heard from everyone on the forum who was in the storm's path?  

Mikla

[ah2bqat]

My thoughts and prayers have been with all you east coasties.  

Having weathered a few 'caines on Jekyll Island, which is south of Savannah on the Georgia coast, and is less than 4 ft above sea level, I can truly empathize with both fears of what might have happened in your evacuation absence, and some of the problems that actually do occur. (we had a live oak branch take out half the roof during one)

I hope we have found the worst to have happened to our CDI family (I truly am sorry about the leaks, lc - they can be a hateful mess to repair)

All I can do is apologize for my mom.  She was in a mood, and yes, Mrs. General's first name is Irene.  You should hear what my sis has to say - she lives in Virginia Beach.  

[Namtan]

Hope you all doing OK and please keep in touch.

[Trinkette]

Watching the news this AM saddens me... sooooo much damage and heartbreak from Irene. I am so sorry for all the folks with wrecked homes and communities. Flooded cities, towns and villages... damaged and destroyed property, bridges... the beautiful covered bridges in Vermont (I have been to at least one that was swept away)... broken trees, crested rivers, giant mudslides, people without power... It all reminds me how lucky I am (especially after a sleepless night fretting about silliness).  Mother Nature humbles.

[DiamondsAreForever]

Good News!  The creek has gone down .7 feet. DF  is on his way over to his father's house for breakfast.

On a sad note, three people in NJ died:  a man in Edison had a heart attack while clearing his flooded basement; a man in Kearny drowned; and a 20 year old woman drowned in Salem county.  She called 911 at 1:40 AM to say she was trapped in her car and the water was up to her neck.  They responded and could not find her.  They did rescue another motorist.  In the morning, they found her car 150 feet downstream.  A firefighter in Princeton is in critical condition following a swift water rescue.  They're in my thoughts today.

The unofficial rain meter for my area varies between 7 and 7.5 inches of precipitation received from Irene.

[clgwli]

I am so glad to see so many checking in and okay.  I do feel for those with damage though.  I hope the cleanup won't be too bad.

While the damage is pretty bad in some places, I am ever so thankful that when Irene hit land she was not as strong as feared.  That is my constant reminder of how much worse it could have been.

I heard about Philly and Princeton NJ being hit badly.  I am keeping all dealing with horrible destruction in my thoughts...

[lovecolor]

Lives lost and homes ruined certainly put my leaky roof and loss of electricity in prospective.   oh, but I would still like a helicopter to get me the hell out of here...

[jpup]

I've gotten a report on our New Bern house. The storm surge brought about 5 feet under the house based on the water line. Total storm surge must have been about 9 feet based on that.  Power is still out. Not sure if the heating and air units were high enough to stay out of the water. We'll know once power is restored.  I'm guessing everything in our storage unit is ruined. We have 7 trees down with 3 on the house. Two trees on the deck, and one partly ripped our screen porch and downspouts. It is leaning against a bunch of windows, though, so I need to get it taken down before it shifts anymore and breaks them. Not easy to find anyone!!  all in all, not too bad. Our neighbors across the street left 2 cars in their garage. Unfortunately, they both flooded and they won't even start. Lots of homes and businesses  damaged and destroyed -  my heart goes out to all of the people affected.

[lovecolor]

Okay, we're in business...my in laws just offered to pick us up at the other end of the road block and take us back to their home which is only 20 minutes from our home.  Then we'll have access to their car and get in and out of our neighborhood throughout the day as needed. Only walking over downed wires makes me a little coo koo...  The power is supposed to be restored by Thursday, midnight  , so there goes all the food in my refridgerator and freezer.  Still, not as bad as what some folks are going through. 

GOOD BYE IRENE!

[DiamondsAreForever]

I'm glad the CDIers fared pretty well during the storm.  Well said, Good Bye, Irene!