OT: If on the East Coast, GTFO (Class III Kill Storm Open Thread)
As Snowicane Sandy approaches the East Coast, this is your friendly MGoPSA:
PLEASE check out the latest warnings and forecasts. New York City public transit is shutting down at 7:00 P.M., and I understand portions of Manhattan and Staten Island are being evacuated.
As a reference, this is a shot of lower Manhattan showing the storm surge from Hurricane Donna in 1960. The storm surge for the upcoming storm is reportedly going to be higher (H/T @mattmfm):
October 28th, 2012 at 4:00 PM ^
I'm in Pa and just drinking and waiting. Maybe because of last night though.....at least the lions won
October 28th, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^
So the subway is closed- no big deal. I am not going to worry until they close all the Chinese takeout places....
Uh oh. Houston, we have a problem....
October 28th, 2012 at 4:15 PM ^
You made me check mine. Luckily, we've still got 154 options available. No worries yet
October 28th, 2012 at 4:32 PM ^
(I may or may not have modified that for dramatic effect- I was here in 97 when we had 22 inches of snow and the Chinese restaurants were still open as people were pulling kids on sleds down Broadway since NYC was shut down to automobiles)
October 28th, 2012 at 4:08 PM ^
The nice thing about living in Michigan is the worst thing we have to worry about are crippling ranch shortages. Stay safe to all those affected.
October 28th, 2012 at 10:34 PM ^
if you have ANY relevant information about a possible threat to our ranch supply you had better tell us . . . NOW.
October 28th, 2012 at 4:12 PM ^
when are we supposed to resort to cannibalism? Monday or Tuesday?
October 28th, 2012 at 4:15 PM ^
Probably will not come to that. We have plenty of lawyers in NY before we have to resort to eating people...
October 28th, 2012 at 4:21 PM ^
do our new ant overlords get here?
HAIL ANTS
October 28th, 2012 at 4:23 PM ^
Eat the lawyers!! Also, I think Wednesday, being Halloween, would be the best time to eat anyone.
Everyone move to Michigan, where nothing ever happens! On the other hand, nothing ever happens.
October 28th, 2012 at 5:48 PM ^
I know you are a fellow attorney. You know they want to eat us!!!! My husband is a physician and he tells people he married me because you have to "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
October 29th, 2012 at 9:04 AM ^
Tuesday obviously. Jesus man, you aren't tough to go even ONE DAY without a decent meal. East coasters are such drama queens!
October 28th, 2012 at 4:16 PM ^
These storms are a big deal but a cat 1 with 75 mph winds is not even worth getting the shutters up so that is how scared I would be...
October 28th, 2012 at 4:19 PM ^
Its all about what you are used to. we deal with hurricanes about as well as you would deal with a big snowstorm. And there is some real danger simply because people up here don't do the simple things to prepare (and buildings are not made with these type of things in mind)
October 28th, 2012 at 5:03 PM ^
So I would say I handle snow storms better than most. My family is in the path of the storm so I'm not down playing it but people just need to listen to EMS thats all.
October 28th, 2012 at 5:36 PM ^
I was not trying to be critical. If you grew up in PA, I have no doubt that you have handled big snowstorms.
My point was only that what is a big deal and what is not is to a great deal influenced by your level of comfort and familiarity the thing.
I am watching the news right now and seeing a bunch of idiots standing on a beach in NJ ignoring the police advising them to evacuate because they are enjoying watching the record high surf crashing into the rocks. I am guessing these are not actions that you would typically see from people familiar with the dangers of even "mild" hurricanes. (then again, idiots do exist everywhere)
October 29th, 2012 at 8:40 AM ^
and agree whole heartedly. I live in a place that gets lots of snow, rain and wind with the occasional hurricane. Each year during March break our family would drive down South to Florida for vacation. On the way we would almost always hit at least one freak snow fall in an area that doesn't usually have it. It was like driving through Ghost towns because no one new how to deal with it. There would be cars in ditches everywhere and this would be in conditions we would drive in on a regular basis back home.
Also related to your post would be the last pretty big hurricane to actually hit our twon was when I was in High School. Two guys in my grade and their girl friends went to the light house to watch the waves crashing against the rocks and the two girls got swept in and drowned. They did this while the radio was constantly telling people they should remain away from coastal areas...
Anyway, I agree thatit really is more about hwat you're used to dealing with that impacts your outlook on a situation, and though that one poster was used to snow, I have seen people in Florida trying to cope with freak snowfalls and they fare far worse that northern foke coping with hurricanes in my experience.
October 29th, 2012 at 5:06 PM ^
Were the cars in ditches before or after the snow?
October 29th, 2012 at 9:06 AM ^
A little storm surge could be just what the doctor ordered for the NYC subway. I mean, you have to rinse those tubes out every 50 years of so....
October 28th, 2012 at 5:02 PM ^
Or watch the movie "Perfect Storm." It's a confluence of events, one of which is a comparatively minor hurricane/tropical storm, which is about to drop some serious shit.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:08 AM ^
It's only serious because of irresponsible fishermen from Glouchester.....why are they always from Glouchester?
October 28th, 2012 at 7:45 PM ^
Also in South Florida, but I don't agree with you. This won't be like our storms, but in some ways will be worse. This storm will be all about rain and surge, rather than wind. A big part of the issue with the storm is the geomorphology of where this storm will hit, which will probably massively magnify the storm surge on the northeast side, because (1) full moon high tide at landfall and (2) landfall projects just south of the New York Bight, which will push all of the water into the New York Bight and the only place all that water can go is into New York Harbor and Long Island Sound.
October 28th, 2012 at 8:51 PM ^
Down here we are way more prepared for this and a cat 1/ tropical storm isn't the end of the world for us. Up North with it being cold now and the loss of power = Disaster.
My brother and brother in law are in Philly and my family and friends are in PA as well so I'm worried.
October 28th, 2012 at 10:19 PM ^
I understand that you're saying that we are better prepared for these storms, and I agree, but this is a totally different animal that even we would not be prepared for, even recognizing that it is only a Cat 1:
"This afternoon's 3:30 pm EDT H*Wind analysis from NOAA's Hurricane Research Division put the destructive potential of Sandy's winds at a modest 2.8 on a scale of 0 to 6. However, the destructive potential of the storm surge was record high: 5.8 on a scale of 0 to 6. This is a higher destructive potential than any hurricane observed since 1969, including Category 5 storms like Katrina, Rita, Wilma, Camille, and Andrew."
I hope your family stays safe!
October 28th, 2012 at 4:16 PM ^
this reminds me of hurricane Irene hype. I'll be out on the streets
October 28th, 2012 at 4:22 PM ^
Wasn't really hype for those who got flooded out in NJ. But in the Baltimore-DC-Nova megaburb, yes, Irene was a big letdown.
October 28th, 2012 at 4:31 PM ^
Please put a cool MGOBLOG reference on your sign, so that we know it is you. Something like, "Help me! Tacopants!"
October 29th, 2012 at 8:43 AM ^
After the weekend I have had I needed that laugh. Thanks!
October 28th, 2012 at 5:37 PM ^
Not everybody thought Irene was a 'letdown.'
Here in Vermont I still see FEMA trucks driving around dealing with the mess, and there have been numerous money drives to help finance rebuilding homes, businesses and infrastructure that were lost as a result of babbling brooks turned into raging rapids. Thankfully not many lives were lost, at least.
I don't mind having new roads in places, but there was plenty of destruction as a result of Irene that can't be undone. After seeing that firsthand, I'm OK with a hurricane "letting me down."
October 28th, 2012 at 8:27 PM ^
I had a colleague whose house on Long Island was nearly hit by a huge tree branch and who couldn't get to the city for about a week because all of the train lines were covered with fallen debris. And people were without power in CT, NY, and NJ for quite some time. Sure, it wasn't Stormpocalypse, but people freak the balls out about snowfall in parts of the country that would make northerners laugh. It's all about how you can handle the situation and how bad it can be relative to those expectations.
October 29th, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^
The areas it affected it affected with mucho damage. Some folks who live on the harbor went to their country cottage a bit upstate. Big mistake. No trees falling on the harbor, but lots of them falling on houses and cars and power lines where trees actually exist. (Or existed, I should say.)
October 28th, 2012 at 4:21 PM ^
Apparently, Sandy is huge enough that I was just called by my own manager asking about my availability for storm duty here in Michigan this week. We're supposed to get 40+ MPH gusts Monday night and into Tuesday, enhanced some by the outer reaches of Sandy, We're expecting scattered outages from wind and general nastiness here, but a mere shadow of what they will supposedly see on the East Coast. That's a big storm.
Take care, our eastern MGoBloggers. Stay safe.
October 28th, 2012 at 4:24 PM ^
Our family condo on the NC coast is getting pummeled. TWC had a crew in front of out place giving a live report.
Sucks for us but I fell truly sad for the people who live there full-time.
October 28th, 2012 at 4:34 PM ^
http://youtu.be/7qJllUVe4hQ
Posted from my phone. Hope the kinky worky.
October 28th, 2012 at 4:52 PM ^
worky too!
October 28th, 2012 at 4:31 PM ^
Ahhhhh Borges has no idea how to use Denard and we have no backup! Sorry wrong freak out. WE ARE All GOING TO DIE!!! IT'S FRANKENSTORM!!! FOLLOW ME TO FREEDOM!,,!!
October 28th, 2012 at 4:32 PM ^
After exhausting all options I've ended up in Omaha where I'll be spending yet another night in Nebraska. Hoping to catch a flight out tomorrow AM that will get me as close to home as possible.
Will be in downtown Omaha tonight. Any other MGoUsers in the area who have suggestions for entertainment or want to meet up and commiserate, post here.
October 28th, 2012 at 11:14 PM ^
Old Market is nice but it probably rolls up the sidewalks about 5 pm on a Sunday night, I'm sorry to say. There is a casino in Council Bluffs, and if you are there during the daytime there is a great railroad museum (Union Pacific) there too. In Omaha the Joslyn is really impressive. Not sure if it closes on Mondays like so many museums do.
October 28th, 2012 at 4:38 PM ^
I'm in dc waiting for work to be canceled tomorrow. If it isn't, I am going to regret not doing my work this afternoon.
October 28th, 2012 at 6:37 PM ^
OPM made it official--tonight, we drink without worry!
October 28th, 2012 at 4:45 PM ^
Mayans did it.
October 28th, 2012 at 5:03 PM ^
If I'm no longer posting after the next couple days, you guys know why...
October 28th, 2012 at 5:18 PM ^
Your wife finally threatened to leave you because you spend more time on mgoblog than you do with your kids?
October 28th, 2012 at 5:44 PM ^
It means we ran out of lawyers....
October 29th, 2012 at 8:48 AM ^
This thread is awesome. Just we need after Saturday night!
October 28th, 2012 at 10:26 PM ^
Yeah, right...as if anyone would make children with me. I look like the love child of Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg.
October 29th, 2012 at 12:00 PM ^
Get rich!
You make enough money, anyone will sleep with you.
October 29th, 2012 at 12:09 PM ^
Okay. Next step in my personal evolution:
Make enough money to surpass Justin Verlander.