Hurricane Irene Pt2

not good

crazy how big the areas effected too
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/nyregion/paterson-nj-is-devastated-by-floods-after-hurricane-irene.html

I know, everyone was worried about the wind and it's the water thats done more damage.

We only had 4½ inches of rain here. I was just telling DW this am we get more wind with a Nor'easter than we got with this storm. All those trees fell around here because they had leaves on them.

Down in the Caribbean where you get the extreme winds, the palm trees can handle it, the leaves are serrated,
- less resistance.

... although you still have watch you don't walk to close under them after a storm because of the falling coconuts!

no coleus day at Atlock this year.. he is all messed up too
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2333590423048.137869.1348426921

Can't see it, but then I dont have a Facebook account either so maybe that's the reason.. (lol)

Power back after 3 days out. It's amazing what buried "treasures" you find in your freezer when you have to clean it out! Two tomato plants and one lespedeza blown over but still viable, everything else ok.

WaterCan ~ you are right on the wind and the trees lost and I would suspect the ground is/was so saturated that it was easier for trees to come down. We see it here with a good wind, if the soil is wet (ha!) big old trees will just lay over with a wind. Worse too, as someone mentioned earlier that the leaves on the trees caused more wind resistance than in wintertime winds on bare trees. Everything just came together this time.

Depressing, I agree, but this is a period of mourning and there is good out there. People helping people... there are good human interest stories that will begin to surface and help the sad memories fade.

Y'all are still in our thoughts and our prayers...

Had dinner with my Connecticut family last night. Of the 7 households there - only 2 had power. I am so lucky!

So sorry about your friend, Allison.....There was a story in today's paper about a couple who just put new floors in their house after being flooded in March....house is flooded again, & they are selling....who would buy there? Don & Memory, glad you have power back....60% of my town went out, but only 6 households are still dark....

Onewish, praying here. Glad Jean has family to help and her example will serve her children well. Wonder if Habitat for Humanity or Homes for America could or will do a disaster rebuild in Vermont or NJ? Wouldn't it be great to have teams of all those long term unemployed and terribly underemployed urban youth, etc get their hands and feet dirty and wet doin cleanup and rebuild....Maybe a church can 'adopt' Jean's family...

Toxic water and debris removal is so much more difficult to deal with than say 18-24 inches of snow!!!

Here most electric service back on. Some health clubs are offering free showers and at least two "cook it out before you throw it out" community grilling parties have invited the out of area (TX, Miss, Ala...) work crews working to restore power to their feasts..Nothing like a home cooked meal and some fellowship to renew each other for the work ahead. Heard that all over Vermont "work crews" are spontaneously forming and reaching those 'isolated towns' throughout the central valleys. Community Supported Agriculture members have rallied at their local farms to harvest root vegetable crops and what ever else needs doing to encourage their local farmers not to give up with this the second major flooding of the season. People are getting their priorities straight.

Wonderful news...thanks for passing it on....

Thanks Podster, I was thinking of you guys too the other day when I read Houston had record heat. Some scientists are saying this may be the new norm for our areas. Only time will tell..

My prayers go out to your friend onewish. I finally after 30 years got out of the ghetto and into the country. I hope that with everything going on she'll be able to get some aid and stay in her home.
Despite a clear forecast i woke up to more rain today. Thinking of all you guys. Hoping wishing praying it's sunnier where you all are.
If there is anything besides prayers i could do i would. Keep your heads up.

Yes, I am sure the tree damage is a combo of saturated soil and resistance from the leaves.

I REALLY hope and pray Katia turns around. One of our elementary schools was badly flooded. And the main soccer field looks terrible from the overflowed creek.

True about people helping people, pod, but I prefer they return to grouchiness but still have their homes! ^_^

*** Just spoke with Pirl, she says to tell everyone they are alive and well. No flooding whatsoever. She has 3 trees down, 2 of them major ones. The neighbor also has trees down, one is still hanging on, but in pretty bad shape with a huge gash. Says the town did a lousy job restoring services, she still has no cable, (no internet). She notes the storm was unique in that it took down trees which were very old and established, sparing the younger trees.

Well, thank God Pirl is OK.....trees can be replanted!

the younger trees are more supple and they bend with the wind, the older more established trees aren't. We saw this often during Rita & Ike.

Great to hear! Yes - the older trees are a lot heavier and bigger as well. And their massive rootballs pull up in the saturated soil. And LI soil is very sandy.

Huge tropical storm to dump massive amounts of rain on the gulf coast. here we go again. And what was I just saying about NO?!!

IRS relaxing some deadlines for certain counties.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=245004,00.html?portlet=7

We can hope Victor, I've had my fingers crossed since it formed that it stays in the gulf. Seem a bit off to be praying for a tropical storm, but we need it badly. I've prepped a bit this morning in the event it does settle here. Filled the large freezer with all the frozen stuff from all three fridge freezers, loaded up a total of 20 gallons of jugs with water so they can freeze. Cleaned out the cooler, hooked up the inverter and lamps to charge, made several loaves of bread, cookies and dog food.

I hear you araness, but you don't want it all at once!

well since we aren't going to get it in nice summer showers we have passed being picky.

Well, be careful what you wish for!

Very true, it's a no win situation atm

Have a 50' soaker hose that has not been turned off for two days. I just move it to the next place. Mainly a tree or the beds next to the house. One neighbor has already had his house jacked because of the splitting of the concrete slab. We have a door or two that don't want to close. Such extreme problems all caused by weather phenomenon. Huge old-growth trees are just splitting down the middle. If this is a prelude to the end, I'm sure glad I'm not going to be here.

Lou, we got a LONG way to go till the end of days

Yes - one whole year!

O thank goodness! My 401k has enough to last until then - if the market holds . . .

Hee hee. Remember, you need enough for nine lives!! ^_^

thanks for the Pirl update WC!!.. so glad they are ok!!.. thanks for the well wishes .. love you guys.. hugs!!

So glad Pirl is ok. Hope you get rain, not storms in TX

Good luck to all of you in the storms path. :(

Thanks you WC!! So glad she's OK, was getting really worried!!!!!!!

This is a tweet a few minutes ago from Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel.

"NEW models r enough to make me feel uneasy about northeast with #Katia but I am holding judgement 4a few more days as they sort out timing."

Hope Texas gets plenty of rain....Katia seems to be headed toward Bermuda......then out to sea.....at least I hope it will.

yay, pirl. been checking in for her.

and saw the same thing with the trees after Andrew in S Florida. HUGE tree root area all uplifted with the tree. It is really weird and scary to see in person.

My pleasure. I was never worried of course, Pirl's a Long Islander! She's though!!
- I was doing it mainly for you guys just to keep you updated!


Well okay, ... maybe I was just a little worried. ☺

Glad to hear Pirl is ok.

I think they are not saying anything too much about Katia because they don't want people freaking out yet

Hubby was at the sewer treatment plant where they found that man....guy who found him kinda shaken up(I would have been too!!!)

yeah me too.. just terrible