Stormageddon 2007

[fenchurch]

For the past three days, it's all we've been hearing about on the news... we've got a Big Storm coming. It's actually the ragtag remnants of Tropical Storm Ling Ling and it's supposed to start hitting our area in about three hours.

I've been regarding this with the same sort of skepticism I do every time they over-hype storms like this... because it seems like whenever they do, it ends up being nothing. IIRC correctly, the big wind storm last year that ended up knocking out power here for over three days and as long as nine days for some people, didn't start getting hyped until pretty much the morning of the day it hit (after it had slammed into the coast over on the peninsula). And already they're starting to revise the windspeeds downward for this storm, which is a good thing.

However, before the main brunt of the storm has even hit us, we're already getting wind gusts up to 15 mph. Yeah, not a lot, I know... but we're also already having power fluctuations. And one of the weather reporters did point out something important last night on the news... We're still early enough that the leaves are just starting to change color and are still pretty much covering the trees, which creates a lot more wind resistance. So, we're actually in danger of losing a lot of branches and trees out of this storm that wouldn't be a problem a month or so from now.

At any rate, we're pretty prepared to lose power... as we always are (trust me, you grow up getting hit with major natural disasters every year or so and being prepared is just something you do and generally don't even have to think about). I've got my laptop charging, I've turned off the currently unused computers in the house and I'm thinking of moving some of the frozen foods from the upstairs freezer to the big old one in the garage (which kept everything frozen for over three days during the big power outage). You know, just in case.

Hmmm... maybe I should swing by the store and pick up some marshmallows, in case we end up having to use the fireplace.

But for now... I'm off to physical therapy.

Comments

[valkyrie-kitten.livejournal.com]

Not been watching the national weather, so I hope it turns into a low wind, with nice rain drop, but not flooding storm. OH, and enough of a temp drop, that you can use the fireplace just for fun. (everyone should get their roasted marshmallows). I'm going back to glowering at my 90 degree weather now.

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

Oh, we won't need a temperature drop... we've already been averaging a high in the 50s during the day and down into the 40s at night. But that's not a bad idea! It might be especially nice on a blustery, stormy night!

[rosiewook.livejournal.com]

I think the marshmallow is something often overlooked in the emergency preparedness kit.

Sadly, mine would never actually stay in said kit.

Stay safe. Sounds like it could be an interesting storm!

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

I think the marshmallow is something often overlooked in the emergency preparedness kit.

Definitely! I checked the cupboard before heading to the store, but the ones we'd bought before the big storm last year had actually expired back in May! (Ick!) I ended up also snagging a thing of Jiffy Pop popcorn (you know the sort, it comes in its own disposable aluminum pan), as well.

It's all a bit of a family tradition, really... when I was a kid, we were always very prepared with things like food and other emergency items, so the times we knew something was coming, we'd head for the store and stock up on junkfood (including the aforementioned Jiffy Pop -- in fact it was one of the few times my mom would buy it for me). It's probably one of the reasons natural disasters always seemed to be more of a fun adventure to me.

[zotel.livejournal.com]

We're still waiting on our generator to come back to us from the concert and fundraisers - we have storms rolling in tonite too!

=)