What Are You Doing For Excitement Today?

[Diane Amberg]

 You can imagine what I've been doing. Everything that was on the deck is now under it or stowed in the shed. All the house plants are inside and the front porch furniture is stacked in the corner, upside down and tied together. The big trash cans, bird feeders and bird baths will go inside the garage tomorrow before we secure it with bolts. Al has already nailed the doors to the sheds shut. Everything that was on the basement floor is up on top of some piece or other, which is up on blocks of wood...hope that's high enough. Anything of real value is up stairs now. The "bug out" bucket is packed and ready, but we are hoping to not have to run.
  The insurance man called this afternoon to be sure we had the right phone number to report damages and wished us well. (Now that's very unsettling.). Our fire houses have generators, so in a real pinch we can go there, if we aren't called in by tomorrow anyway to help in some way. We'll hear in the morning.Our task force groups are setting up right now.
We were told to expect to be with out power for three days. I have made lots of extra ice and can fill several big chests if need be. As always ,planning for the worst and hoping for the best. It's been many, many years since we were lined up for a direct hit from a storm of this size. Usually we get side swiped, but this one may come literally over our house.

[patyrn]

We are hoping this storm is not going to be as bad as predicted!!!!!!!  Be safe..........it sounds like you've taken all the possible precautions for well-being!  Prayers of protection going your way!!!!

[Diane Amberg]

Thank you.I appreciate it very much.

[Warph]

Stay Safe, Diane.

DELAWARE EVACUATIONS
Delaware Governor Jack Markell ordered a mandatory evacuation of an estimated 50,000 people in coastal communities on Saturday. New Jersey's Cape May County ordered an evacuation of its barrier islands, home to some popular beach resorts, by Sunday afternoon.

In New York, authorities were considering closing down the city's buses, subways, commuter railroads, bridges and tunnels as early as 7 p.m. on Sunday, when the last commuter trains would depart, with the entire system to be closed down by 3 a.m. Monday, officials said.

Forecasters said flooding could span multiple tides with a storm surge of 4 to 8 feet in Long Island Sound, the southern portion of Lower New York Bay and Delaware Bay.

Sandy's storm surge has the potential to flood New York City's subway system if the storm arrives at or near Monday evening's high tide around 9 p.m., according to Jeff Masters, a hurricane specialist who also writes a Weather Underground blog.

Monday is also a full moon, which creates an extra-high tide. "These storm surge heights will be among the highest ever recorded along the affected coasts, and will have the potential to cause billions of dollars in damage," Masters wrote.

Officials said 50 to 60 million people could be affected by Sandy, which many forecasters warn could be more destructive than Irene, which caused billions of dollars in damage across the U.S. Northeast in August 2011.

[Diane Amberg]

Thanks. We are locked down, and hoping for the trees to stay up, but friends who have beach places are expecting a lot of damage. Not everyone could pull their boats out so some may be lost. Eight foot storm surges could be devastating on the ocean side and the bay side is already backing up water due to the tides.
  It's raining right now and the temp. has dropped as the hurricane warm air is exchanged for colder nor'easter air and the air movement changes direction.  It's not really wind yet, but will be soon. It's the enormous amounts of raining and flooding that will affect us the most. Late tonight and all day tomorrow will be the worst of it, and it won't be gone until Wednesday.

[greatguns]

You've been in my thoughts for the last 3 days.  Sending prayers for you and all your neighbors in the northeast to be safe.  Please keep us updated as you can.  Good luck with this one!  Take care!

[Diane Amberg]

Thank you. They are saying that for NJ this will be worse than 1962 which was a major disaster. I'm feeling a little skittish myself on this one. Tomorrow will be really bad.The Weather Channel is even here in Rehoboth Beach. which is rare.

[Judy Harder]

God be with you and Al, and all who are in the path of these storms.

[Bonnie M.]

I hope you are staying safe Diane.  We're watching the progression of the storm on Fox News, their coverage is very good.

It is a terrible storm.

[Janet Harrington]

Praying for all on the east coast as this storm keeps going.