Hurricane Florence Check in thread

September 9, 2018 5:15 PM

Hey kids, so it looks like the mid Atlantic is gonna take a whoopin from this twirly one Wednesday & Thursday this week. Gov Cooper declared a state of emergency late Friday and evacuations have started. We're in the middle of the path, and even though we're 2 hours inland, it's going to fling us around a little & dump a load of rain. NC, GA and VA are all going to take the brunt. Batten down, charge up, don't forget the pets and stay safe.
posted by yoga to Uptime at 5:15 PM (201 comments total)

Forgot to add the how-to prep links: readync.org and ready.gov.

Also, I do not know why this post is in the 'uptime' category, but ok!
posted by yoga at 5:25 PM on September 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

Be careful, everyone. Keeping you in my good thoughts.
posted by 80 Cats in a Dog Suit at 6:31 PM on September 9, 2018

Filling the freezer with bottles of water - check

Tip from one of the last hurricanes when there was a bottled water shortage: save empty soda bottles and fill with water.
posted by jointhedance at 6:35 PM on September 9, 2018 [4 favorites]

It could still wobble north, I'm not saying to not prepare, I'm saying keep your eye on it especially if it changes course.

National Hurricane Center has lots of maps and tracking and images from space.
posted by vrakatar at 6:37 PM on September 9, 2018

was someone in a different thread talking about 8 actual feet of rain predicted somewhere or did i (hopefully) hallucinate that 100%
posted by poffin boffin at 6:55 PM on September 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

Thinking of everyone in the path. Don’t hesitate to holler if you need somewhere to evacuate- MeFites love to host.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:00 PM on September 9, 2018

poffin boffin that was an outlier in one model - While the storm is supposed to be slow, meaning it will dump a lot of rain, I don't see any other forecasts like that.
posted by thelonius at 7:07 PM on September 9, 2018

Our local news guy is saying a foot of rain is the high side. Still, that's not great.
posted by something something at 7:08 PM on September 9, 2018

I went over to the storage unit today and retrieved my 5-gallon water container, camping stove, cooler, and camping lanterns. Also picked up some non-perishable food so we should be ok to handle a couple of days without power, if it comes to that. I'm in Richmond VA, so no real worries about hurricane force winds here, but flooding could be an issue.
posted by COD at 7:09 PM on September 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

Sending good thoughts to everyone! Also wishing there was some way to send the excess rain over to put out the fires in California. Climate change sucks. Stay safe.
posted by lazuli at 7:16 PM on September 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

I have 2 of those little 16.5 oz camping stove propane canisters, that are at least 5 years old, and unused. They have been sitting up in a cool dark place on a shelf. Do I need to worry if they are OK to use, if it comes to that? Any way to test them?
posted by thelonius at 7:56 PM on September 9, 2018

While the storm is supposed to be slow, meaning it will dump a lot of rain, I don't see any other forecasts like that.

Calling it, if it's anywhere close to those numbers it'll be a nightmare. We'll see if Harvey taught anyone anything.

I'm no expert in forecasts but I grew up on the Alabama coast and saw my share of good'uns. I did volunteer cleanup after Hurricane Georges which hovered over Mobile Bay and the Florabama area for what seemed like days, it dropped almost 40 inches in some places and 30 where we were that led to inland waterways and the bay flooding like you wouldn't believe. I helped clean up a house on Fish River that was on 10 foot stilts that had 2 foot of water in the their living area.

Harvey dropped over 60 inches in places.

That 80+ inches number quoted
A) boggles my mind
B) scares the ever loving piss out of me because
C) even if it's twice as much as areas actually get it's still a fuck-ton and earth shattering amount of rain to drop on a coastal area where
D) it may coincide with hightide and/or (duh) storm surge.

I'm in North Florida on the coast, we're looking to be in the clear for this one but I'd be getting the fuck out of NC coastal areas based on that path and how it's tracking. I don't even care if it hits as a Cat 2 or 3, the wind is bad but those rain numbers jump out at me, big time.
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:46 PM on September 9, 2018 [8 favorites]

thelonius, Coleman says their propane canisters have an indefinite shelf life. Here's someone on a homesteading forum saying "7 years, no problem." I don't think generic ones would be any different since they're probably made at the same facility with a different label.
posted by peeedro at 11:09 PM on September 9, 2018 [3 favorites]

The way to test those canisters (assuming something close to this) would be to try them out - better now than later. I've used very old ones before and no problem. However, some of them do slowly leak so you'd want to make sure there is something in there.

Stay safe everyone, from the other side of the continent.
posted by Rumple at 12:10 AM on September 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

+1 for evacuating coastal areas (I'm in the Triangle and probably there will just be a lot of rain here...)
posted by thelonius at 3:21 AM on September 10, 2018

Thanks for posting this. I am right within the edge of where it’s expected to make landfall so if all we get is rain we’re going to be damn lucky, but I am scared as hell for anyone south of me. Trying to wrap my head around supplies, etc.

If you have Comprehensive coverage on your car (covers damage from flood, falling objects such as tree limbs, etc) you may want to lower your deductible right now. Or add the coverage altogether if you don’t have it.
posted by nightrecordings at 3:30 AM on September 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

Stay safe friends. Thinking good thoughts for all of you and your homes. <3
posted by Fizz at 4:43 AM on September 10, 2018

Current NHS forecast track for the storm center moving inland is actually west of the Triangle, which is unusual
posted by thelonius at 5:10 AM on September 10, 2018

Looks like the second link was actually to an old item; I've updated with a current link. OP, let us know if you'd rather it go to a different url!
posted by taz (staff) at 5:14 AM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

The bad news is I live in the Triangle. The good news is that our upcoming family vacation neatly gets us out of hurricane hell - we're flying out of here Wednesday morning and not arriving home until two weekends from now, so if there are power outages or anything, we'll miss them unless they're truly epic. On the other hand, that means that if the storm floods us or takes out the contents of our freezer or anything, we won't know until we get home two weeks from now. Gonna be an interesting vacation.
posted by Hold your seahorses at 6:13 AM on September 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

not arriving home until two weekends from now

Protip I learned from past threads here: Put important docs (that aren't in otherwise safe place) in dishwasher in case you lose roof/flood/blah blah. Enjoy your vacation!
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:20 AM on September 10, 2018 [9 favorites]

If you have Comprehensive coverage on your car (covers damage from flood, falling objects such as tree limbs, etc) you may want to lower your deductible right now. Or add the coverage altogether if you don’t have it.

If someone does this, please let us know how easy/hard/impossible it was to do in the timeframe at hand. I'm always looking for more insight as to what is possible in insurance land for these edge cases.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:22 AM on September 10, 2018

I am at bullseye location. Am already exhausted from work this weekend and am working all week. Have started packing stuff to bug out. Will shelter at mom's. Right now I'm so tired I don't even care what happens to my place.
posted by mightshould at 6:23 AM on September 10, 2018 [4 favorites]

We're in Chapel Hill on the west side of the Triangle, but we have family at the coast in Calabash. We are preparing to have them come stay with us.
We also have family in Virginia Beach, who I suppose, could also theoretically come stay with us, at which point, we might as well just go ahead and celebrate a few birthdays and Thanksgiving, and get it out of the way while they're here.

I haven't gone to the supermarket yet this morning, but I have to go later to pick up some meds. Let's see how insane Chapel Hillians are prepping.
posted by msali at 6:34 AM on September 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

I haven't gone to the supermarket yet this morning, but I have to go later to pick up some meds. Let's see how insane Chapel Hillians are prepping.

Walmart yesterday afternoon was a hellscape, mostly out of a number of basics.

I mentioned on the Blue, this comes at the worst possible time for my family. My wife heads to a conference in New Orleans on Wednesday, and I was supposed to join her on Friday while our teenage daughter was looking forward to staying home by herself for a few days for the first time. She does have family and friends she can stay with, should it get really bad, but I hate to leave her. Be safe, everyone. Coastal MeFites, let me know if you need somewhere to crash inland.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:49 AM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I was at the Food Lion at Hwy 54 at 7 am, buying water, and there were a few other people already doing the same......
posted by thelonius at 6:49 AM on September 10, 2018

Costco in Raleigh yesterday afternoon was a zoo, with everyone buying cases of water and lines halfway to the back of the store
posted by Hold your seahorses at 6:51 AM on September 10, 2018

On the insurance thing, over the weekend I remembered I'd not updated our homeowners policy after we replaced all the carpet with hardwoods. It let me enter the info but at the end said something like "Because of a natural disaster in your area you cannot make any changes to your policy at this time."

I went to Earth Fare in Cary this morning for more water and it was very quiet with plenty still on the shelves. Trying the smaller/specialty stores might be a good idea in general.
posted by something something at 6:56 AM on September 10, 2018 [5 favorites]

taz thanks for the link correction!

The tip about filling bottles of water & freezing is a great one. You can also use them in coolers to extend the life of some frozen things, but not for long. If it's like Fran, we'll be eating like kings for days before it all spoils.

Hold your seahorses my other half was at that same costco zoo yesterday & said the same. I'm still in search of a propane tank refill there so god knows what it's like this AM. Thanks for the tip something something

Y'all stay safe.
posted by yoga at 7:11 AM on September 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

Just moved into a new house in Durham just before Memorial Day that's in a flood zone. None of my neighbors remember Fran, but we're prepping as best we can.
posted by mfu at 8:03 AM on September 10, 2018

We lost water and power for a week after Matthew came through - not eager for a repeat. We've got our emergency stuff stashed away - water, flashlights, extra batteries, battery packs to keep our phones charged, water and food for the cats.

My big concern is my mother in law. She lost her husband last week after an extended illness, so she already has a lot on her mind. I'm going to make sure her backup generator is working and has enough propane to keep things going if she loses power.
posted by Roger Pittman at 8:05 AM on September 10, 2018

In a twist of fate, our fridge has already been dead and waiting for repairs for over a month, so we've only had about a dorm fridge's worth of perishables in the house, plus whatever's in the storage freezer. If the power is out for a long time, we're going to be having a lot of grilled meat and canned soup, I guess. On the upside, we don't live in a flood zone, and at least one current weather projection still thinks Durham's getting less than a foot of rain for the entire week. On the other side, we live in a heavily wooded neighborhood so the wind in the trees will probably be more of a threat than the water, if it gets windy here.
posted by ardgedee at 8:18 AM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I have an employee living in Raleigh who just moved there after Harvey hit Houston. She's resigned but glad she's not super close to the coast. I told her to take road flooding seriously and not worry about work or work from home. She's going to stock up today, hopefully she can find what she needs.

My firm does well after hurricanes, we specialize in water systems and roads, but honestly we'd rather just stick to mundane upgrades than fixing up after disasters. We're just barely starting to work on post-Harvey projects in Texas, because funding has been slow and there's so much to be done it's hard for cities and counties to prioritize.

Wishing well for all east coasters in the path.
posted by emjaybee at 8:20 AM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I would like to add my anecdote about hurricane preparation in Texas. For the last three storms we have had, the grocery shopping experience was that it was hell and impossible as the storm approached. Parking lot full, shelves empty, people bug-eyed anxious. Then, the day before the land-fall, the grocery shopping was like a normal weekday. It seems that people get their panic shopping done as the dire predictions start to come out. They expend their energies on shopping for essentials, and every damn thing else, and then go home. Meanwhile, the stores get in new shipments and restock the shelves. So, if you dare wait, you may get what you need as the winds start to blow. Getting gas was similar. I cannot generalize about this observation of human behavior to your area, however.

Do your laundry. Clean, dry clothes and towels, will be in short supply if the power is out and messy recovery work is needed. As your freezer thaws, lots of melt water will spill out onto the floor. Consider emptying the freezer into a cooler before that happens. Ice is better in containers than in a bag.

After the storm things will be slow to improve. If the stores lose power for more than a few hours, they will throw out their perishables. You would be hard pressed to get meat or milk for a while. With Harvey, the gas trucks at the fuel distribution sites had their transmissions flooded with storm water. Until they had been fixed there were very few gasoline pumps working. This is an important factor if you are counting on your generator to keep the lights on.

Anxiety and helplessness are common feelings. Kindness, generosity, and hard work helping others is a good way to cope.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 8:49 AM on September 10, 2018 [11 favorites]

Regarding Isaac. It seems to have a low chance of coming through Ponce, Puerto Rico, and if it does, it is expected to be a tropical storm. The electrical grid here is still a bit shaky and I can imagine being without power for a couple of days even with a tropical storm.

This time I have a generator, but when the storms get bad (Maria), there's no propane to be found.

I have extra batteries for a portable fan and that was one of the worst things last time: not breath of a breeze over the long nights.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 8:54 AM on September 10, 2018 [4 favorites]

at least one current weather projection still thinks Durham's getting less than a foot of rain for the entire week

Yeah, both of the models posted in the thread on the Blue set up OK for the Triangle, but at the expense of others. One sends the 40 INCHES of rain south of us and up through the mountains (no doubt devastating the Charlotte Metroplex, especially up near Lake Norman, and Boone) and the other keeps it over the Outer Banks (where I suspect whole islands could be washed away). I just ordered some sandless flood barriers to keep the water away from the part of the foundation where rainwater tends to pool.

Good luck, and please do reach out if you need anything.
posted by Rock Steady at 9:00 AM on September 10, 2018

Thanks for posting this, yoga. I was aghast to realize today that I had a business trip scheduled to Asheville next week. I'll be postponing that trip, since (I understand) a lot of folks came to the Asheville area after Hurricane Irma hit last year, and that even if Florence doesn't directly impact western NC there is bound to be a significant indirect impact. I really appreciate this post for reminding me of the need to change my plans.

Best wishes to all who have been and will be affected by this storm. Sending special good wishes to you and your mother-in-law, Roger Pittman. I'm sorry for her loss.
posted by cheapskatebay at 9:28 AM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

We're in Cary and both lifelong NC residents. My wife has family in Carteret County and I'm really worried for them. For us I'm expecting more inconvenience as we have no large trees in our yard. We have water and a propane grill and plenty of flashlight batteries. I'm planning to see what the forecast looks like in 24 hours and will then assess what else I might need to do. My elderly mom lives nearby so I'll definitely check on her. I can bike or even walk there in a pinch.

Stay safe everyone.
posted by freecellwizard at 9:44 AM on September 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

Ignorant "storm geography" question: I have colleagues at a campus in Charlotte. How bad is the threat there?

I have examined the maps, and they are near the main projected path. Will they be fleeing, or is that area considered far enough away to just shelter in place? I live in New England (hurricane country) now but I grew up in the Midwest (tornado country) -- and I don't have a frame of reference for the area, or how storms behave there.

Also: good luck, and godspeed the drying-out, all of you (since there's no way to avoid the wet now). I'll pray for you all, since there's really nothing else I can do from up here. :7(
posted by wenestvedt at 10:35 AM on September 10, 2018

This page from WRAL in Raleigh is updated and has info on expected rain & wind effects.
posted by yoga at 10:42 AM on September 10, 2018

Will they be fleeing, or is that area considered far enough away to just shelter in place?

Shelter in place.
posted by thelonius at 10:57 AM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

If someone does this, please let us know how easy/hard/impossible it was to do in the timeframe at hand. I'm always looking for more insight as to what is possible in insurance land for these edge cases.

I work in the industry. Immediately before you change your deductible/purchase any additional coverage, take photos and video of the insured property. Make sure your phone/whatever camera you are using captures the metadata for the day, time, location etc. If you want to go the extra mile, take a few close up shots while holding up a copy of that day’s newspaper. Upload the photos to the cloud for safe keeping.

And it would be wise to do it again right after you purchase the coverage, before the storm hits, so that there is no question at all that it has been in good condition both before and after the new coverage was added but before the hurricane hit.

ALSO, make sure you verify that the new coverage change goes into effect immediately. Call if you have to, and verify that you get it in writing. Document who you spoke to and when.

Other documentation that helps prove when the damage occurred, but is still auxiliary to the photos: tow receipts. Police reports, where applicable. Verification from any independent third parties who would have no vested interest in lying for you. (In other words, not friends/family.)

On a side note, a coworker of mine just did this and her method of proving the car’s condition before the hurricane was to take a Snapchat video of it. YMMV.
posted by nightrecordings at 11:36 AM on September 10, 2018 [9 favorites]

Yeah, if Charlotte is evacuating, we’re all in a load of trouble. That being said, I’m not heading to people in Charlotte because 74 floods terribly and it would take me forever to get back here.

Was in Hampstead this morning; 17 is busy as all get-out, people pulling boats out of the water and moving their campers. I’m going to run to Petsmart to get extra dog food and stop on the way home to acquire some more fuel. My municipal employer has yet to make any declarations for residents or essential employees. I won’t likely be able to leave, should I choose to, until late Wednesday night. I have options to go to Asheboro, W-S, and Moyock up near the VA line. Most of my neighbors are going to ride it out. I still may choose to do so.

It is hot and still and humid outside. Sunny and bright.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 11:36 AM on September 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

I live in Wilmington. Today things are moving along like usual both at my office and at the courthouse. Obviously, people are talking a great deal about it.

My elderly mother lives next door to me. She is freaking out and I am trying to get her to watch less television. She moved here seven years ago from Syracuse, New York, so this will be her first significant storm. My elderly father lives in an assisted living facility here in Wilmington. They are relocating everyone to Charlotte.

Our plan is to stick it out. I am going to have my windows boarded up for the first time ever, however. I mostly worry about a branch or something breaking a window. My house seems to magically be flood-proof. If our power outage looks like it will last several days, then I will just leave when it is over. I just don't want to leave the house now and have some small issue (broken window, hole, etc.) turn into a major issue because we are not there to stop the water coming in or something.
posted by flarbuse at 11:37 AM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

wenestvedt: Ignorant "storm geography" question: I have colleagues at a campus in Charlotte. How bad is the threat there?

I teach at UNC Charlotte (perhaps the campus you are talking about). Right now, the University plans to go ahead with its usual schedule. That may change as the week goes on and they have a better sense of the storm's path. I do know that UNC Wilmington has cancelled classes for the week and recommended that students evacuate.
posted by Slothrop at 11:51 AM on September 10, 2018

For flooding- has anyone seen or tried these “Quick Dam” water activated flood barriers?

I just purchased a few from Amazon because I don’t want to deal with sandbags, but let me know if I am just fooling myself.

Looks like a good option for those who can’t or don’t want to deal with sandbags, either. I mainly bought them to barricade our basement and garage.
posted by nightrecordings at 11:51 AM on September 10, 2018

I live in NC but am a transplanted South Floridian. I strongly urge you to reconsider your plan to shelter in place in Wilmington if the track continues as predicted and Wilmington sustains a direct hit from a Category 4 hurricane. Please have a look at what happened to the houses where Hurricane Harvey (also a Cat 4) made landfall. There is little you will be able to do to stop water if a car is hurled through your house.

It is also possible you will be part of a mandatory evacuation order. If that happens I strongly urge you to heed the order.
posted by Comrade_robot at 11:53 AM on September 10, 2018 [10 favorites]

I will also be in Wilmington, sheltering at my Mom's place. Sara and flarbuse, hit me up via memail to exchange phone #'s if your're interested. She has floor space, if nothing else.

My abode is a trailer, so am not staying there. Have offered her place to co-workers who live at Surf City and Topsail islands. Everyone is playing by ear. Offer stands for anyone who needs. She has mild dementia, but don't let that stand in your way.

Bonus: there will be cats (4 cats in fact). Take that; Florence!
posted by mightshould at 11:56 AM on September 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

We are above storm flood areas, but nothing will stop trees, alas.
posted by mightshould at 11:58 AM on September 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

I was at the Food Lion at Hwy 54 at 7 am, buying water, and there were a few other people already doing the same......

I dropped in the same store just now, while doing errands. Water shelves almost empty, store busy in the middle of the day. It's going to be murder after the workday - I think a lot of people just heard today that there is the possibility of a major storm in this part of the State.

I'm going to continue with shopping at the crack of dawn to finish my prep.
posted by thelonius at 12:32 PM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I am very very anxious. Like not getting anything done at work because I keep obsessively googling for new maps anxious.

How can it be that the weather forecast - on weather.com, wunderground, etc. - is only showing a 60% chance of rain in Raleigh from Thursday through Sunday? Is it really still this uncertain that we will get anything at all? Or do they not take into account the hurricane with this sort of thing?
posted by something something at 12:49 PM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

something something - If you check WRAL it says rain those days but also basically "this could change significantly due to the hurricane so check back often". By Tuesday night I'm guessing the warnings and forecast will get more dire unless the track changes.

I did watch the 11 am update and the meteorologist pointed out that her current track shows the storm still as a cat 1 when it's halfway between the coast and Raleigh. She didn't remember that happening in recent years. Can anyone attest to this? That is, usually things drop down to tropical storm / depression pretty fast once they are that far inland.
posted by freecellwizard at 1:03 PM on September 10, 2018

hit me up via memail to exchange phone #'s if your're interested.

Be aware that these won't be super helpful if the tide, pardon the pun, really turns. If you really are close proximity (like blocks, not miles) and happen to have a pocket radio (Motorola used to make some really handy ones) then that's the best option as we've done that before with family members riding things out but beyond shouting distance.
posted by RolandOfEld at 1:04 PM on September 10, 2018

Hey something something, I've been obsessing too! I think it will be ok. It will be windy and rainy and there will be flooding and power outages for sure. It will be loud from the wind & we probably won't sleep much Thursday night.

If memory serves me correctly, Fran was still a 1 when she came through Raleigh. We had 80mph sustained winds all night that night and 13" of rain. We heard trees snapping and crunching, but nothing fell on us. There were a few blue flashes from transformers shorting out, but it really was just a lot of wind noise.

After wards for many days there were lots of critters flushed out of their homes, so be alert for things like snakes and rats, rabbits raccoons, and bees. They are disoriented too and will leave you alone.

We'll be ok. :)
posted by yoga at 1:21 PM on September 10, 2018 [5 favorites]

I've had plans for months to go to the Outer Banks for a week starting on Saturday. One of my travel companions still thinks we'll be able to salvage part of the week. I think he's nuts.

Wishing the very best for everyone affected.
posted by argonauta at 1:38 PM on September 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

NC State just announced they are suspending normal operations as of 5pm Wednesday.
posted by Rock Steady at 1:48 PM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Advisory from Nat. Hurricane Center #46 (9/10 5pm) is out
posted by gwint at 2:23 PM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

> How can it be that the weather forecast - on weather.com, wunderground, etc. - is only showing a 60% chance of rain in Raleigh from Thursday through Sunday?

There are a few divergent models. One says that Florence is going to stall off the Cape for a few days (basically Thursday through early Sunday) before moving inland. Another says that it'll charge straight in, nonstop.

Currently both of them agree that once the eye is over land, the storm will lose strength dramatically and only be a tropical depression by the time it reaches Greensboro. Durham still looks like it's slated to only get about 7 inches of rain total between now and next week, and that includes a possible storm tomorrow that's unrelated to the hurricane.

The territory here makes for a lot of microclimates, though. One side of a ridgeline might get a lot more rain than the other side.
posted by ardgedee at 3:11 PM on September 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

I did watch the 11 am update and the meteorologist pointed out that her current track shows the storm still as a cat 1 when it's halfway between the coast and Raleigh. She didn't remember that happening in recent years. Can anyone attest to this? That is, usually things drop down to tropical storm / depression pretty fast once they are that far inland.

yes that is normally what happens, but Hurricane Fran in 1996 demonstrated that this is not a 100% rule (like I thought it was)
posted by thelonius at 4:13 PM on September 10, 2018

My sister attends UNC Wilmington, which is now under a mandatory evacuation. She says they're evacuating students without other options to UNC Asheville, although I'm not sure how that's going to work because I don't think UNC Asheville has any extra dorm space. She has already evacuated to Charlotte but is now pretty worried about her apartment etc.
posted by the turtle's teeth at 4:24 PM on September 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

I’m in Durham, and this will be my first hurricane experience. I’m having a very hard time gauging how worried I should be and what to expect? Hearing reports of water/bread being sold out in stores...is this just people panicking? Or should I be worried that I don’t have things stocked up yet? I just don’t have the experience to differentiate between people overreacting/media over-reporting, and actual common sense best practices in this scenario.

Current “preparedness” in our (rental) house:
- we have a backpacking stove and fuel canisters
- will be getting some canned goods tomorrow...but no idea how many days/meals we should be planning for?
- will be filling all water bottles (including a 10 L cube) in advance of the storm.
- will fill the bathtub before the storm
- pet food is all stocked up

This is fine, right? I don’t need to be doing any panic shopping?
posted by Dorinda at 7:04 PM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Well, the water thing is perhaps driven by memories of Fran. In Orange County, or at least the part where I lived, the treatment facilities flooded, and the authorities alerted the public that the water could not be considered safe to drink. I think a couple of days later, tests showed that it was in fact contaminated. It took at least a week before the all clear for water safety came.

As for food, electricity was out for 7 to 10 days, and the grocery stores basically closed. It was not possible for them to keep perishable goods.

How likely is that kind of thing to happen again? No one can say, really. I personally do not expect that the impact in the Triangle will be so severe as we saw in 1996. But, having lived through all that once, I'm preparing for about a week of surviving on bottled water and storm kit rations.
posted by thelonius at 7:11 PM on September 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

I’m having a very hard time gauging how worried I should be and what to expect?

this is what it's always like btw
posted by thelonius at 7:12 PM on September 10, 2018 [5 favorites]

I hate it! It sucks! I don't understand how we are so advanced as a society but haven't figured out how to break these things up somehow. What even is science for.

I have a whole house generator but I've only lived here 3 months and have never had to use it yet. And also we are surrounded by huge trees. But, if my house survives and the generator works, Raleigh mefites are welcome to come over and charge your phones. :)
posted by something something at 7:19 PM on September 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

What even is science for.

Blinding people
posted by thelonius at 7:21 PM on September 10, 2018 [18 favorites]

Protip I learned from past threads here: Put important docs (that aren't in otherwise safe place) in dishwasher in case you lose roof/flood/blah blah. Enjoy your vacation!

Please do not do this.
posted by rakaidan at 7:22 PM on September 10, 2018 [13 favorites]

Dorinda, pb and j is your friend. So I’d say grab a loaf or two of bread. I have a camping grill and a full-sized propane tank; I could cook for weeks with that. Buy another flat of water and some baby wipes.

Supposedly we’re getting the go ahead to leave by Wednesday; I’m bugging the heck out of here to go northwest. My other neighbors are evacuating to Martinsville, VA. My truck isn’t packed yet because I do have to work tomorrow, but you can get a shiny new nickel I’m heading out as soon as I secure the house. I’m taking a cooler full of perishable food, some non-perishables, my generator, dog food and toys, a week’s worth of clothes, tools, air mattress, extension cords, and all small items and documents I care about.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 7:39 PM on September 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

Use your phone to photograph documents, upload to cloud storage (i.e., google drive) or email to yourself at an email account that is big enough to have good backup, yahoo, google, outlook.com, etc.
Fill the car with gas.
Moving water is very strong, even shallow water can sweep you off your feet, or make your car unstable, so be careful.
Science makes it possible to predict storms pretty well and allow people to prepare and/or evacuate.
Be safe and we'll all hope it fizzles out.
posted by theora55 at 7:50 PM on September 10, 2018 [5 favorites]

To be on the safe side, I would plan for two weeks of non-perishable food and water. Realistically, Fran was the worst I ever saw in 30+ years of Triangle living, and that was about 10 days of power outage. But various locations got power back on earlier, so you could go and stay with friends, and shop for groceries again within several days (as long as trees had been removed from the roads so you could get to the grocery stores that had power). Wake County never lost water service, either, at least not the bit I was in.

I would put emphasis on things like batteries, battery-powered radios, LED lanterns, and gas/charcoal for the grill. (If it’s like Fran, there will be spontaneous neighborhood cookouts to eat everyone’s perishables before they spoil.)

And if you own a gas-powered chainsaw that you know how to use, you will become extremely popular. See “removing trees from the road.”

No need to panic. But be prepared to live without electricity for a week or more. Not a lot more, but still.
posted by snowmentality at 7:55 PM on September 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

I live in south Durham and was feeling ok about things until UNC was like get out of dodge and then all the gas stations near me ran out of gas. Now I too am feeling fairly panicky.
posted by leesh at 8:10 PM on September 10, 2018

Our Miami campus evacuated last year, and students with nowhere to go were transported to an official storm shelter. They got packed meals, and a banner so they could rally together and sleep in a bloc. Maybe an adult went with them? Anyway, the students were positive about the whole experience, I was told in a tabletop exercise for an imaginary hurricane, back in June.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:13 PM on September 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

NHS is showing it at tropical storm strength when it reaches the Triangle; that is not going to tear the roof off.
posted by thelonius at 8:34 PM on September 10, 2018 [4 favorites]

I live in a tiny house surrounded by giant trees in Orange County. My cat and I have made plans to not be in it when the storm hits. Fran was no joke, but also weirdly fun on the back side. I'll be around in Carrboro once the winds die down. I have plenty of water and plenty of bourbon. Feel free to let me know if anyone needs anything.
posted by thivaia at 8:44 PM on September 10, 2018

Friendly reminder, if you're cooking with a camp stove or grill due to loss of power, keep it outside so you don't give yourself carbon monoxide poisoning. Same thing with generators - keep them away from the house.
posted by Candleman at 9:45 PM on September 10, 2018 [5 favorites]

Late Saturday night on into Sunday morning, our orange tabby, Percy, was having a midnight cat freakout that woke the household up. We'd been trying to ignore him at first, but the banging and rattling around didn't stop, and so we got up to investigate. Finally found him in the bathtub, something he hasn't done at all since we moved into our new apartment a few months ago.

It wasn't until the next day when we found out the storm track was pointed at the Carolinas that we realized he was just practicing a hurricane drill, trying to get everyone to a central, bottom floor room surrounded by walls filled with lots of piping. Fortunately for him, our county is forecast for only a 20% chance of seeing tropical storm force winds and less than an inch of rain from the storm.
posted by radwolf76 at 10:26 PM on September 10, 2018 [28 favorites]

excuse me but is he hugging his very own percy doll. is he doing a self-snug.
posted by poffin boffin at 10:37 PM on September 10, 2018 [27 favorites]

When we saw the plushie in the store, we had to do a double take from how strong the resemblance is. Bought it, named it Quincy. Introduced Quincy to Percy, and self-snug was the immediate reaction.
posted by radwolf76 at 11:18 PM on September 10, 2018 [17 favorites]

he is perfect i love him
posted by poffin boffin at 11:20 PM on September 10, 2018 [11 favorites]

I lived through Hurricane Hazel in 1954 in Wilmington. We lived in town on the highest point of Piety Hill (100ft) so got no flooding, but did lose the entire chimney. The beaches, however, were devastated. This coming hurricane can do a lot of damage but here in Western N.C. (Asheville area specifically) they're forecasting rain and winds but not catastrophic levels UNLESS it takes a slightly more western track. We're already getting evacuees and there's a huge event going on (World Equestrian Games) that has filled most hotels and B&Bs, so finding a place will be hard. I can offer floor space to a couple of people and a place to recharge things and be inside. Wish I could do more. Stay safe. If you feel like leaving, do it, and drive west, maybe Birmingham AL or somewhere in western GA. Good luck.
posted by MovableBookLady at 1:18 AM on September 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

NHS forecast this morning shows slowing, with landfall at Friday 2 AM, and a more northerly track, hitting Durham 2 AM Sunday, as a weak tropical storm.
posted by thelonius at 5:13 AM on September 11, 2018

I'm several hours inland from the coast, and our worst case scenario is most likely a week or so (likely less) without power. I'm increasingly irritated by the absolute hysteria generated ahead of these kinds of events. (With obvious exclusion for vulnerable people and families directly in floodzones -- they have a legitimate need to evacuate and prepare.) I just feel like the majority of folks running around here filling six gas tanks for their power generator and clearing out the bread aisles are those who simply cannot fathom even a few days without modern conveniences. It's not pleasant to wash from a bucket and go to bed at 8 pm because you ran out of daylight, but it can be done and it isn't the end of the world.
posted by tealcoffeecup at 5:24 AM on September 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

Hey Triangle folks: Let's have a post-Flo meetup.
posted by ardgedee at 5:31 AM on September 11, 2018 [8 favorites]

In Fran, I was very underprepared. I had almost no candles or batteries. So I went to bed as soon as it got dark; It was kind of nice, actually.

I wouldn't really call laying in essential supplies, in preparation for a possible week or two without being able to shop, as hysteria or "panic buying". I am perhaps over-prepared now, although I still need a couple of things like a lighter or matches. If so, well, good. It can serve as prep for ice storms this winter.

I was surprised at how uninformed the people I talked to on my supply run this morning were (the Food Lion was much, much worse than yesterday, at 7 am) - they have heard that we're getting hit with a full hurricane here, but the NHC site says otherwise now. Your taxes pay for these good informational resources, folks!
posted by thelonius at 5:38 AM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

Good luck from this Houstonian, y'all. Remember everywhere is downhill from somewhere and watch out for how fast flood waters can rise! Stay safe.
posted by BeeDo at 7:44 AM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

There is very little gas in the Wilmington area, all the way up to Jacksonville, and probably other locations that I don't know personally about. I have left my trailer, and am staying with my elderly mom in Wilmington. She has started dementia, and yet, went out Monday and trying to be helpful, bought perishables. I guess if that's the worst of it, then it's not too bad.

There will be no power here. That's a given. Tree damage will be likely, but hoping for as little as possible. And hoping for no roof uplift.... Hoping is about it.
posted by mightshould at 7:49 AM on September 11, 2018

I was in middle school in Raleigh during Hurricane Fran and it was the most intense combination of trauma/fun in my young life. Trauma: Standing on our porch while the eye of the storm passed over us in the middle of the night. It was so eerie. Then, a short while after, watching a massive oak tree in our yard sway violently until it fell and crashed about 14" from that same porch. It knocked out our power line, but our house was intact. But it was so close.

This is so close to my own experience! Middle school outside Raleigh (Apex), our oak tree came down before the eye (we went out to see the eye and opened the door to just branches everywhere), and it succeeded in destroying our deck, which was at the second story. My parents loved this experience so much I guess that they kept moving further east and eventually settled in Morehead after I left home. Thankfully, they're travelling, in the mountains of Georgia somewhere, so they should be fine.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 7:53 AM on September 11, 2018

Asheville here. Wind instrument music festival in Pack Place planned for arrival, will be playing rain songs. Stilt houses are now busking to cover deductibles. Breweries rushing out artisanal mud infused brews touting special mineral properties. Sadly, the downtown salt caves have already closed due to clumping.
---
In all seriousness, most people are fairly calm and last night the grocery was not pre-decimated as with most anticipated disasters. We could get the gutterball of the storm or we could be in the strike zone, it really depends on landfall. If models showing a Myrtle area landfall, we're a strike. In which case, many areas will flood, many new business will experience damages due to poorly adapted infrastructure. A Wilmington area landfall will still soak us considerably and no doubt, cause property damage and a few careless adventure seekers to become the ire of First Responders.
I expect something in the middle... especially looking at the Atlantic lineup, and that the season has gone into overtime lately. Regardless, if anyone needs places to stay, PM me and for the love of FSM don't assume it's a puddle, it's an endless chasm of death water..
posted by moonbird at 8:17 AM on September 11, 2018 [4 favorites]

The Washington Post has announced that it has removed article limits on coverage of Hurricane Florence to make the stories available without a subscription. Here's this morning's update from the outstanding Capital Weather Gang:

Category 4 Hurricane Florence drawing closer to Carolinas and threatens ‘catastrophic’ flooding
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:30 AM on September 11, 2018 [6 favorites]

I spent the morning running errands: Picking up dog meds, gassing the car, getting cash, etc. These tasks should normally take about a half hour. This morning it took me two hours, and it was hard not to be infected with the panic that people are already displaying. I came home decidedly more anxious than I was before I left.

But I also saw people being REALLY nice to one another, and I made a conscious effort to do the same. I guess that's my big takeaway: Shit's gonna take awhile, people are freaking out, be nice to one another.
posted by msali at 9:47 AM on September 11, 2018 [8 favorites]

Coming into downtown Raleigh for work this morning and stopped at my usual Saunders St. gas station. No gas :-(
posted by freecellwizard at 10:05 AM on September 11, 2018

One of those big schools in Greensboro has cancelled life as of noon tomorrow. I can't decide if I'm pleased that they're finally showing some caution (I have taught as snow poured out of the sky and then skated home at $few mph), or irritated that my wife is likely losing 16 hours of leave for some rain. I reckon we'll see.
posted by joycehealy at 10:18 AM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Wake County (Raleigh) schools just announced they are closed Friday and letting out 2 hours early Thursday. After school activities cancelled both days as is a planned Sunday college fair.
posted by freecellwizard at 11:32 AM on September 11, 2018

In some ways we are in a good place. We can't be flooded out because our street flows downhill and then there's a 15 foot drop off to the interstate below us. However being without electricity for a week is going to be tough. I have a deep freeze and a freezer full of meat (I tend to buy roasts and chickens on sale) and no generator or grill. I think my gas stove can be lit manually so that's helpful. We are charging up our backup batteries and pulling out our battery powered lamps but so much of our life revolves around electricity (including the air conditioners) that it is a major pain in the summer to go without.

I am really being half-assed about my prep because I'm also shopping for my husband's birthday party tomorrow. So I was just at the ABC store (phew, talk about long lines) and got some expensive whiskeys to try from NC brewers but then I got home and realized I have no tequila and we're running low on our everyday bourbon. Did the same thing at the grocery store-- got supplies for fancy birthday food only to realize when I got home that our normal grocery shopping for the coming week is Friday so maybe I should have gotten that over with. What did surprise me at the grocery store was seeing a lot of customers walking out with carts full of wine. Is everybody planning on drinking themselves silly?

At least I got cash. After the last ice storm when we lost power for 5 days, we went to Target for batteries and snacks on day 4 and they weren't able to take credit cards. Cash only.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 11:52 AM on September 11, 2018 [4 favorites]

> One of those big schools in Greensboro has cancelled life as of noon tomorrow.

That seems a bit harsh.
posted by ardgedee at 11:58 AM on September 11, 2018 [14 favorites]

I gor very drunk the first night after Fran (a friend's bar had kegs that were going to go bad....) and it was a huge mistake. Day 2: massive hangover, hot weather, no A/C, little drinking water.
posted by thelonius at 12:00 PM on September 11, 2018 [6 favorites]

As of about 1:00 this afternoon the only gas station in Durham that I could find gas at was Costco. They had staff out in the street flagging traffic to minimize the jams. Every pump I passed by in south and west Durham was empty or only had diesel and premium left.

I chatted with one of the clerks inside Costco, and she said that they'd gotten a full shipment of bottled water last night and it was sold out inside of 90 minutes. The store was so packed that it was impossible to turn shopping carts around in the aisles. There were fistfights and they had to call the cops. And that yesterday was worse.

Stay safe, y'all. And maybe more importantly, remember to stay cool.
posted by ardgedee at 12:02 PM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

I very nearly bought a bunch of wine today but my husband doesn't drink and I felt like it would be a bit unfair. SIGH.
posted by something something at 12:03 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

And oh yeah: If you're in Durham and need bottled water, Whole Foods still has some.
posted by ardgedee at 12:03 PM on September 11, 2018

I had the good idea to exchange our spare propane cylinder so we could cook on the grill if our access to gas were cut. This of course turns out to be something obvious rather than a novel thought, so the first two stores I tried were out of cylinders. Then inspiration struck! The place down the street fills them rather than exchanges them, and indeed there was a line six people deep.

Victory, success! I'd eat well during the power cut.

And... the adapter on my cylinder had rusted.
posted by Kikujiro's Summer at 12:11 PM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

A clerk at the downtown food coop told me that a single person bought all their water bottles this morning (the jugs you use at the you-fill-it station near the produce section). I don't know whether they also filled them all; I don't know how a single person could manage that.
posted by ardgedee at 12:22 PM on September 11, 2018

I apologize if my saltiness about my employer's inconsistent inclement weather policy came across as harsh or not taking this seriously (I was at State for Fran in 1996 and know this is no joke).
posted by joycehealy at 12:42 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Yeah, water you just fill containers you already have instead of buying it. Much cheaper. And gives you something to do that feels productive instead of full time worrying. I filled all of ours yesterday. Finished up laundry & vacuumed today. Who the hell knows when we'll be able to do any of that again.
posted by yoga at 12:43 PM on September 11, 2018 [6 favorites]

god, i was looking at radar forecasts to see if the storm would make it far enough north to trouble me and like. it just gets bigger and bigger and hits the carolinas and then just .... doesn't go away. for days. dislike.

also apparently SC officials have decided not to evacuate prisons in the red zones so that should be incredibly horrible and depressing.
posted by poffin boffin at 2:22 PM on September 11, 2018 [11 favorites]

I think my Raleigh person is still not taking this seriously enough, but I'm not her mom. Hopefully she won't be stuck too long without power.

I was telling my boss that we might want to think about getting some kind of corporate employee benefit discount on hurricane stuff, like refillable water storage bottles, those hand-cranked radio light thingies, etc. and provide a list of what they should have on hand for future emergencies. I'd feel better if I knew that our folks at least had the basics. Lots of our employees at that office are fresh out of college and not necessarily the kind to prepare.
posted by emjaybee at 2:26 PM on September 11, 2018 [7 favorites]

2.5 hours of heavy rain in Richmond VA tonight. My already saturated yard did not need that.
posted by COD at 7:36 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

So I have tickets to this show on friday and it is postponed. Because of the hurricane. I'm pissed but with so many people trying to get inland it is probably a good idea.

So, this storm is big and scary enough to postpone an indy rock reunion show in Brooklyn, many hundreds of miles away. So prep and/or evacuate if you are in the danger zone.

I'm going to Brooklyn anyway.
posted by vrakatar at 8:21 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Current NHC forecast track is significantly south of where it was yesterday, with the storm heading to Greenville, SC. But, a reminder from their forecast discussion: "It should be noted
that, due to increased model spread, there is substantial
uncertainty in the 3-5 track forecast."
posted by thelonius at 9:56 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Lyft is providing free/discounted rides to shelters.
posted by _Mona_ at 4:43 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

I've got a friend who, last I checked, is going to try to ride out the storm outside of New Bern. It's usually a safe place to stay, and it's the first time I remember Craven County having an evacuation order, but today's track makes me feel a little better about her decision.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 5:24 AM on September 12, 2018

If you're in the Charlotte area: A good thorough update from Charlotte weatherman Brad Panovich
posted by gwint at 6:27 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Assuming the forecast for the system stalling right about landfall, extreme winds shouldn't be much of an issue inland, so sleeping in the closet may be unwarranted unless an unusually high tornado threat ends up developing. However, with as much rain as will likely fall, even low end tropical storm force gusts will be enough to uproot many trees.

Definitely a recipe for long power and other utility outages even if inland flooding isn't widespread. (Falling limbs will take out power lines, fully uprooted trees can often rupture underground water and gas lines also..fun times)

In any event, my thoughts are with all of you who are being affected. Hopefully it stalls a bit earlier than forecast and ends up unexpectedly drifting back out to sea and recurving. It's much more pleasant to have prepared unnecessarily than to be caught unprepared, that's for sure..
posted by wierdo at 7:27 AM on September 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

It's much more pleasant to have prepared unnecessarily than to be caught unprepared, that's for sure.

If it does largely end up sparing the Triangle, I'm already dreading the "Florence was overhyped and everyone panicked for nothing" hot takes.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:46 AM on September 12, 2018 [10 favorites]

Wow, that article that Johnny Wallflower linked to above is frightening. It is possible the hurricane is going to start affecting the coastal area of NC/SC border region on Thursday evening and may stall out until Sunday morning. This isn't a storm that is going to blow through in a couple of hours, it is expected to last days - and drop feet of rain. If you are in the expected coastal landfall area and are planning on weathering this storm, please reconsider.
posted by zyxwvut at 7:49 AM on September 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

If it does largely end up sparing the Triangle, I'm already dreading the "Florence was overhyped and everyone panicked for nothing" hot takes.

People were already doing this when the forecast track was still pointed right at us! There's just a powerful need to believe that you are smarter than everyone around you. I suspect these are the same people who believe that traffic jams after car accidents are 100% caused by "rubberneckers".
posted by thelonius at 7:56 AM on September 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

If another part of the state gets smashed, the "overhyped!!" brigade will be a lot quieter even if it does miss the Triangle.
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:00 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

And again, preparing for a civil emergency when the best information says it's probably happening in a few days is not "panic" - even if the situation later changes.
posted by thelonius at 8:00 AM on September 12, 2018 [3 favorites]

(Every time someone in my new Yankee home complains about "overhyped" blizzard forecasts, I passive-aggressively post the Wikipedia page for the Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888. WEATHER FORECASTS SAVE LIVES, GUYS! FUCK OFF!)
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:03 AM on September 12, 2018 [9 favorites]

Finished up laundry & vacuumed today. Who the hell knows when we'll be able to do any of that again.

Good thinking, Yoga! I'm defrosting a pork roast and tomorrow it will be cooked in the crockpot with beans and corn and salsa.

The Dog Film Festival in Cary is postponed from this Sat until some date to be announced in November. I was really looking for ward to that as we had a blast last year. I'm glad they postponed rather than canceled.

I saw some interviews with Outer Banks residents who do not plan to evacuate as they can "take care of themselves." I hope they aren't people with pets/children.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 8:51 AM on September 12, 2018 [3 favorites]

Mmmmm pork roast... WHat is the Dog Film Festival and how have I not heard of it???
posted by yoga at 9:29 AM on September 12, 2018

Oh man I just searched it. Mrs yoga would never go to that because she would cry the whole time. Even if they're happy films!
posted by yoga at 9:31 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Oh really? It's lovely. Our dog got a little bit bored after the initial excitement but she really enjoyed the special dog snacks. They show funny dog advertisements, some short docs, and a few short movies. Merril Markoe and her dogs featured in one of them.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 9:37 AM on September 12, 2018

How hilarious that you can bring them! Our 6 month old yellow lab pup would be 100% berserk. Maybe he will be calmer by November. :D You guys stay safe this weekend. We're right up the road if you need anything.
posted by yoga at 9:43 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

I will say: one silver lining to living through these last few days (and the next ones) is that I have no idea what crazy shit the President may or may not have been up to. And I'm not going to try to find out, either.
posted by something something at 5:11 PM on September 12, 2018 [5 favorites]

silver lining to living through these last few days

I'm prepared if there is an ice storm this winter, or another hurricane later this season that does come to the Triangle at tropical storm strength and takes out power.
posted by thelonius at 5:15 PM on September 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

Waffle House Index update: The ⁦@WaffleHouse⁩ Storm Center is activated and monitoring #Florence. Plan ahead and be safe.
posted by peeedro at 5:38 PM on September 12, 2018 [5 favorites]

Yeah in that blizzard in '93 (wow, I can talk like a real old-timer!) I felt genuine fear when I saw that the Waffle House by the motel I was trapped in had closed. Consarnit!
posted by thelonius at 6:13 PM on September 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

One of my dogs is a therapy dog, and she's also a Red Cross comfort dog. We've been placed on standby to receive Florence evacuees here in Knoxville. So if you're coming inland to the mountains, please know that you're welcome here and we're waiting for you.
posted by workerant at 6:37 PM on September 12, 2018 [15 favorites]

I'm feeling increasingly anxious here in the SC lowcountry.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 6:44 PM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Our Charlotte campus is closing offices at close of business Thursday until Monday morning, but the students aren’t being evacuated (so the food service folks and safety & security officers and some maintenance staff will still be on site). I take that as a positive sign.

Stay as dry as you can, as long as you can.
posted by wenestvedt at 5:48 AM on September 13, 2018

I'm feeling increasingly anxious here

I've always assumed this was part of the reason for Hurricane Parties being a thing. Well, that and foolhardy bravery and testosterone and lack of common sense of course....
posted by RolandOfEld at 7:46 AM on September 13, 2018 [2 favorites]

I have prep and anxiety fatigue. There's only so much intense focus and thinking about what scenarios might present that I can handle. I could use a hurricane party.

workerant thank you for being there for evacuees. I hope everything with the other half's job situation/relocation has resolved itself. (Ignore me if I'm remembering incorrect info.)
posted by yoga at 8:12 AM on September 13, 2018

Yeah, I'd actually love it if I could ride this out with a big group of friends - but the problem is that everybody has pets. I have a friend who lives alone that I would love to invite over but my cats would probably try to kill her tiny dog.
posted by something something at 8:21 AM on September 13, 2018 [1 favorite]

Set your fridge colder than usual; buys you a small amount of extra time for things to stay cold if you lose power. Some people put blankets & comforts over the fridge if they lose power, for a little extra insulation. As noted, fill the freezer and fridge with water bottle or even canned goods, as a full fridge stays colder longer.

The news is so full of hurricane warnings that even in Maine, I keep thinking I should be filling water bottles.
posted by theora55 at 9:39 AM on September 13, 2018 [4 favorites]

I'm feeling a lot more relaxed here in Raleigh. Really just expecting a bunch of rain at this point. I did decide to work from home and I brought in all the small to medium flying projectile type stuff from the yard though. It's overcast with teeny bits of light rain here and there.
posted by freecellwizard at 9:49 AM on September 13, 2018

They have the Director of the National Hurricane Center doing an update on the local news! We're big time.
posted by something something at 10:18 AM on September 13, 2018

I'm watching what claims to be a live webcam of Myrtle Beach and there are way more people just strolling and wave-watching than I am comfortable with. ?!?!!!?
posted by nakedmolerats at 10:44 AM on September 13, 2018

I work in a hazards geography lab with a lot of meteorology students. We're all watching the live streams and Twitter as the first of the storm surge and high winds move inland.

Mefites and everyone else, please be safe. I won't repeat the warnings that I'm sure you've seen 7000 times already, but take care of yourselves. We're all thinking of you and wishing good luck as hard as we can. And if there's anything we can do from AZ to help, let me know.
posted by WidgetAlley at 12:34 PM on September 13, 2018

The flag on this Cape Fear webcam has started to shred apart.
posted by freecellwizard at 12:50 PM on September 13, 2018 [6 favorites]

The shredded flag cam is now all over the internet. Does Metafilter decide what's trendy, or vice versa?
posted by Melismata at 1:42 PM on September 13, 2018 [3 favorites]

FYI, here's a link to the live USGS flood event viewer.

. . . I think they're still working on getting it totally up and running 100%, so try again later if you click on a sensor and you don't get data right away.
posted by barchan at 1:58 PM on September 13, 2018

a MeFi Wiki page to collect and organize Disaster Planning & Recovery posts is in progress
posted by Little Dawn at 4:13 PM on September 13, 2018 [4 favorites]

I don't even care if it hits as a Cat 2 or 3, the wind is bad but those rain numbers jump out at me, big time.

and at the Weather Underground:

Florence may be a Category 2 hurricane by the Saffir-Simpson wind scale, but it is a Category 5 heavy rain and inland flooding threat. Florence will stall on Friday and move slowly west-southwest along the coast for several days, bringing a devastating rainfall and storm surge event.

posted by Little Dawn at 5:18 PM on September 13, 2018 [1 favorite]

Good morning from Charlotte, all. We're in the 6-10 inch forecast band, the last I saw. I haven't had a decent night's sleep all week, first worried about my daughter in Chapel Hill and parents in Greensboro, now just wrung out and overstimulated - and we haven't even prepped our house yet (but will this morning since Mr. D and son are both out of school). I'm also really tired of local and national media focusing on people who have chosen not to evacuate. Lots of interviews from Wilmington bars (maybe just one bar? full of idiots?) last night which makes me anxious and angry at their disregard for all the warnings. Also wishing my mom hadn't told me about a woman in GSO who died a few days ago when a tree fell on her in the middle of the night. Her husband, asleep next to her, survived. Other than all that (!), I think we're ready - plenty of snacks and batteries. Mostly snacks. Hoping everyone can make the best of it this weekend...
posted by Sweetie Darling at 3:25 AM on September 14, 2018 [3 favorites]

Little Dawn, yep, in the most wish-I-hadn't sort of way: Called it.

Furthermore, from the NHC discussion page lately:

It cannot be emphasized enough that the most serious hazard associated with slow-moving Florence is extremely heavy rainfall, which will cause disastrous flooding that will be spreading inland through the weekend.
posted by RolandOfEld at 5:30 AM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

New Bern has already had 150 people needing to be rescued. Wake County has already had power outages (so far so good here) along with almost every coastal county in NC. That's my biggest fear because the head of FEMA announced this morning that in NC our infrastructure is so bad it may take weeks to get power back on to everyone.

My in-laws on Topsail island decided not to evacuate because "it is too much trouble." Topsail turned the water supply off yesterday afternoon and 10 foot surges have been reported in some areas. They'll probably be flooded, have no water or power for days, but they think that is less trouble than driving 200 miles here to Raleigh where they have plenty of family to stay with.

Meanwhile my husband is working a 16 hour shift at the main plant of the USPO because lots of people didn't show up to work. So I'm alone with the dog keeping my fingers crossed for his safe passage home in 2 hours. Last night I kissed him goodbye and told him I hoped to see him soon "God willing and the creek don't rise," instead of my usual "I'll be here waiting for you."
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:50 AM on September 14, 2018 [9 favorites]

Yeah this thing is c r a w l i n g and dumping, very very not good.

SLOG keep us posted on the hubby and the in laws.
posted by yoga at 7:52 AM on September 14, 2018 [2 favorites]

Mr. Gravy actually thinks he is stopping at Trader Joe's on his way home. The call of the beer and cheese run is strong in that one.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:56 AM on September 14, 2018 [9 favorites]

Video of the flag at Cape Fear is blocked for me. Because it applies, and is more or less my question ...

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

posted by ZeusHumms at 8:01 AM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

Duke Energy power outage map. Not sure if it will go directly to the NC link or not you may have to poke around.
posted by yoga at 8:03 AM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

One of my cousins is serviced by Duke Energy. The power at his house just went out, and Duke informed him that it would be 10 to 14 days before power was restored - I suspect mainly because he lives out in the country instead of in-city. He has a backup generator, but I'm not sure how long it will keep things running.

We've only had a couple minor power outages in the past 12 hours, but power came back on in just a couple seconds. The biggest thing here is the high winds and rain - both of our cats have been sticking to me like glue since last night.
posted by Roger Pittman at 8:10 AM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

10 to 14 Days? Holy Cow. Why do we continue to live like this? I mean our access to electricity is basically unchanged since it was first introduced to homes over a 100 years ago. For example our neighborhood is still supplied with electricity by wires strung up between poles and any time a tree limb crashes down and brings the wires with it at any point for blocks around, we are without power until Duke can come out and restring the wire. It all seems so primitive to me.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 8:19 AM on September 14, 2018 [6 favorites]

It really is archaic. Like a 3rd world country sometimes.
posted by yoga at 8:50 AM on September 14, 2018 [2 favorites]

Sweetie Darling - As of this morning, Charlotte is in the 10-15" rain band. According to the Charlotte Observer (free article viewing right now, btw), the forecast is for 11 inches. So far, though, it's just windy.
posted by Slothrop at 9:08 AM on September 14, 2018

Mr. Gravy is home! With the beer and cheese so TJ's is open and they had bananas (Fresh Market at Cameron Village was sold out yesterday and according to Mr. Gravy bananas are a vital food group.) Also we got mail delivery. Amazing.

OTOH he spoke to his parent on Topsail and they have no power or water which is what I figured would happen.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 9:28 AM on September 14, 2018 [12 favorites]

I've got a friend who, last I checked, is going to try to ride out the storm outside of New Bern. It's usually a safe place to stay, and it's the first time I remember Craven County having an evacuation order, but today's track makes me feel a little better about her decision.

So about that...

Per CrowdSourceRescue, she's safe, and there's national media in her neighborhood, so I'm pretty sure that's right. I'll feel better when I can hear from her, but her phone is dead. That was a long night.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 9:32 AM on September 14, 2018 [2 favorites]

Our mail was just delivered, too! Amazing. We're also supposed to have a couch delivered today and it still says it's on schedule? We'll see.

It's just now finally getting windy here in Raleigh. Our power has flickered several times but still on for now.
posted by something something at 9:32 AM on September 14, 2018 [2 favorites]

Yay Mr Gravy! I'm waiting on a FedEx delivery that who knows whether it will get here. Starting to get super blowy & rainy out there.

Hope the in-laws fair ok on Topsail, that doesn't sound great.
posted by yoga at 9:33 AM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

It's a little gusty in Carrboro, with light tree debris
posted by thelonius at 9:38 AM on September 14, 2018

We are getting waves of rain from the outer edges of the storm here in Richmond VA. It'll get dark and rain, then the band passes and it clears up, then the next band approaches...

The track of the storm ended up very good for Richmond, it's just going to be another in a long line of rainy breezy weekends we've endured this summer. Stay safe everybody whose not getting missed by this storm.
posted by COD at 9:49 AM on September 14, 2018

It's just now finally getting windy here in Raleigh. Our power has flickered several times but still on for now.

A coworker in Cary reports power out
posted by thelonius at 9:55 AM on September 14, 2018

Durham is still calm. Overcast and some gusting, with occasional screams of delight at Pee-wee's Playhouse.
posted by mfu at 9:58 AM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

Friends in Wilmington have been posting updates on FB of their experience sitting out the storm at home. They are safe and in good spirits, and one even had a little airborn adventure attempting to prevent a rogue sheet of plywood from smashing into his house. Learned his lesson and will be staying safely inside for the remainder, I imagine.

A few gusts and rain just starting in my part of Durham. Friends in Cary and parts of Raleigh have reported their power being out, but nary a flicker here. No excuse to not keep plugging away at the dissertation then. Damn.
posted by Dorinda at 10:33 AM on September 14, 2018 [6 favorites]

My employee in Raleigh texted that her power just went out.
posted by emjaybee at 12:11 PM on September 14, 2018

CNN is really lavishing the "looters?!?!" angle. Because when the storm of the century hits, it's important that people know how we're protecting our precious consumer goods.
posted by nakedmolerats at 12:35 PM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

The Duke map linked above lets you zoom into specific addresses and neighborhoods. I can see that the neighborhood behind mine is out.
posted by freecellwizard at 12:43 PM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

Reporting in from Greensboro. It juuuust started raining.

NPR interviewed a woman in New Bern who didn’t evacuate this morning, and the reporter kind of came after her (in a very polite way) for not following the evac order.
posted by jeoc at 3:31 PM on September 14, 2018

That NPR interview was the trigger for my little 6 a.m. rant (and I went all caps on FB), particularly this:

MARTIN: But that - if things get really bad, fire and rescue, first responders are going to have to risk their own lives to come save yours.

RISTY-DAVIS: Right. And I know - I mean we did not think of that. I don't think a lot of us did.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 4:08 PM on September 14, 2018 [3 favorites]

Posting from Durham. It's getting dark out. We've had rain on and off for most of the day, getting heavier in the evening but nothing heavy.

The wind gets noisy out sometimes but it's passing far over our heads. We live in a wooded neighborhood where most of the trees are over 100 feet tall. When I'm out on the deck I can see the tops swaying, but at ground level it's rarely more than a mild breeze. Leaving the neighborhood for the nearest main road is a good lesson in microclimates. I might have a different feeling about this if the wind got stronger, but for now, knock on wood, everything's fine.
posted by ardgedee at 4:15 PM on September 14, 2018 [2 favorites]

Same experience here, ardgedee. The storm has made me realize that although my house is on a small hill, it's really at the bottom of a larger valley. We've had very few noticeable gusts here at all, although I can see big trees swaying quite a bit across the way. We haven't lost power and the rain has really only been heavy a couple of times. Our biggest problem this weekend is going to be boredom, it seems. I was hoping to try to get out and maybe wander around a museum tomorrow, but it looks like everything is still going to be closed.
posted by something something at 4:29 PM on September 14, 2018

Anyone have news from the ground in Jacksonville? I have a friend who lives there (her family evacuated, though). Things don't sound good.
posted by escape from the potato planet at 6:10 PM on September 14, 2018

I am slightly south of Fayetteville NC - 1.25 inches of rain yesterday (midnight to midnight). Am up to 5 inches so far today with 2 hours to go.

Gusty wind. I have had a few shingles come off the roof of my house when I got home to check it and take care of my dog. No flooding on the roads so far in the areas I have traveled. A few downed trees and the power is out.
posted by kabong the wiser at 6:57 PM on September 14, 2018

kind of a cocky attitude going in.....
I mean we did not think of that. I don't think a lot of us did

I remember one year when a big hurricane looked like it was headed for Florida I saw an interesting discussion about how the coastal population has increased greatly, and a lot of the people there have never experienced a severe hurricane, and are prone to the delusion that evacuations are an over-reaction. It's a bad combination.
posted by thelonius at 9:43 PM on September 14, 2018 [2 favorites]

I bought a big plastic bottle of cheapest vodka for sterilizing plastic water bottles because I don't think I'd ever get dish soap totally rinsed out of them. Will rinsing a plastic bottle with vodka kill bacteria?
posted by jointhedance at 8:33 AM on September 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

Nearly 20 years ago, my parents bought the land and built their dream house in Jacksonville, NC. They were modest dreams - mind you, but it was still their dream house. Five-ish? years ago my father was diagnosed with cancer and my mom was put in the position of having to stop working for almost a year to take care of him... There was grief on her part for having to stop work, and the realization that he was not going to be around later in her life to help her through the world should she contract dementia later in life. (Typical conversation - Mom: what will you do if I get dimentia? My Dad: Well, I'll walk you into your closet, pretend its a shoe store and every day you'll be able to find the perfect pair of shoes that you love.) He passed away later that year in October, and my mom went back to work for the following tax season.

My dad wanted to have his ashes spread at Weaver's Ledge, up in Maine, where many times our sail boat found itself stranded in doldrums surrounded by fog. Playing 'Find the Nun' and 'Find the Can' to make sure we weren't going to hit the ledge were common games we used to play in the fog. Anyways... My mom wasn't ready to let him go. So, he's sat on the kitchen table in Jacksonville for a good number of years in the cremation bag in a very simple paper box that he was delivered in. She can talk to him, she can complain to him about her day. She could have him watch the dogs in the back yard while she takes care of other things.

So, about two years ago, she said that she was finally ready to stop working (she hasn't yet, though this is the tail end, her license will lapse at the end of the year and she has not taken any continuing credits), sell the house and rent two places: one near my sister, and one near us - so she can spend more time with the grand kids and have company. (I've proposed her getting a Tesla and living out kind of a Roujin Z fantasy where the car can drive her back and forth between the two places, extending her ability to be independent).

In July, the last of her two dogs passed away as she was visiting my sister - amazingly let her find the place where she wanted to live (they had a No Pets! policy). She moved a few things up, but still predominantly lived back in Jacksonville, because the house still had to be ready for selling. So she's been decluttering, selling stuff off, giving stuff away, fixing and repairing things, making sure that there is less and less in the house.

Last Friday, she called my sister, had a Yard Sale on Saturday. My mom met my sister at the half way point just outside of DC on Sunday, and she traded my sister a carload of stuff, including my dad. Then she went back, boarded up a little bit of stuff, picked up another car load and headed to Pittsburgh. This is the inflection point, where she now won't live in Jacksonville anymore, and will instead visit to work on finishing up the house. Florence's path solidified that.

The house is likely mostly fine - it isn't in a floodplain, and it is up enough that it could take a foot of rain, probably destroy the sump pump, but otherwise be fine. The storm may take some shingles. But, she's had her closure, hurried slightly by Florence... but, still - closure. Ironically, if the house does survive relatively unscathed... it may be a prime market for selling... But yes... the chapter in Jacksonville is nearly closed for my mother.
posted by Nanukthedog at 9:35 AM on September 15, 2018 [15 favorites]

jointhedance: probably not, since 80 proof vodka is only 40% alcohol. Alcohol is bactericidal at >60%. Two TEAspoons of Clorox bleach in a gallon of water is what's recommended to sterilize baby bottles. I am not a chlorine bleach proponent in any way (I think people are quick to use it in cases where it's unnecessary or ineffective), but this is a good and effective use.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:30 AM on September 15, 2018 [4 favorites]

Amazingly people have lost power all around us but we're still fine. Drove down 70 to White Oak shopping mall for dog treats and none of the traffic lights worked. None of the shops in White Oak were open. I suppose this means my gym will be closed for another day or two.

I saw a NC Dot flood warning. Some rivers are expected to flood as late as Tuesday. They strongly recommend not driving anywhere if you can help it.

Meanwhile my sister-in-law sent pictures of her neighborhood in Topsail and the water was 3 feet or higher. She can't drive obviously but even if she could the hospital where she works in Wilmington is on lock down.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 3:25 PM on September 15, 2018

FWIW:
In my location just south of Fayetteville NC:

Day one rain 1.2
Day two rain 7.8
Today 7 inches so far

Total event to date 16 inches rainfall

The reason I am up on this is I treat potable water and wastewater and I am at the plant and actively keeping the systems operational and in compliance.

Also - we use bleach to disinfect water because it works. So do most of the other plants and it is the most common drinking water disinfectant in use in the United States. If you question the bacterial integrity of what water you have, I would DEFINATELY USE IT!

I am not used to dosing for a gallon jug. Here is what the Red Cross has to say:

American Red Cross Emergency Water Treatment

You might want to follow it.
posted by kabong the wiser at 4:44 PM on September 15, 2018 [8 favorites]

from the New York Times:

Throughout the storm, stranded residents and their families have been posting calls for help on Facebook and Twitter and crowdsourced rescue sites. Would-be rescuers in the Carolinas used the walkie-talkie app Zello to request information on street conditions and the locations of people needing help. Volunteers outside the disaster zone scanned the internet to provide answers for them, broadcasting weather and traffic reports and even hyperlocal information.

posted by Little Dawn at 4:51 PM on September 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

Hey all. I’m back on the Island; Eastern NC is a shitshow. It took me 9 hours to make it to Wilmington and I crossed a lot of water; those roads are probably impassable by this point. Technically they were earlier as well, but I’m here.

Jacksonville proper seemed ok when we went through it. Everything around it is trashed.

I reported for duty at 1600; I will be here for the foreseeable future. Swiftwater teams have been going out all night. The flooding has started and will only get worse.

My house was still standing and dry when I checked it before I went into the station. The station flooded, but serve-pro came out here and tore all the carpets out and set up fans and we got the generator going so we can cook and somehow we have internet. Phones are down, but radios are working.

If you are in contact with someone who is in an untenable situation, PLEASE have them call for resources sooner rather than later.

Also, please do not try to come east yet; there is no fuel here and the roads are very, very, very bad.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 8:45 PM on September 15, 2018 [14 favorites]

Just south of a Fayetteville NC update:

9-13 rain 1.2"
9-14 rain 7.8"
9-15 rain 10.5"

Total "Florence" rainfall to date 19.5"

And it’s still raining fairly hard. A few gusts of wind here and there but nothing like it was.

This location observed 17.3 inches of rain during hurricane Matthew.

The Cape Fear river has been evacuated for everyone within a mile of it.

Stay safe!
posted by kabong the wiser at 9:13 PM on September 15, 2018 [4 favorites]

Quick check in from Wilmington. No power or internet; trees down absolutely everywhere. Heavy rain all night. Thankful there's minor damage to mom's; don't know about my trailer in Onslow county. All are safe for now. Keeping phone off since am on roaming.

Long time till we will feel safe and comfortable. Mom's dementia isn't helping but we're making it.
posted by mightshould at 4:29 AM on September 16, 2018 [7 favorites]

Rain stopped for a few hours here in Lumberton so there’s no standing water in the streets near our house - but there’s more rain forecast for today, so we’ll see what happens. Power just cut out again this morning, but hopefully it won’t be for long.
posted by Roger Pittman at 5:43 AM on September 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

Advice from a Cajun Navy Veteran

Hoping for the best
posted by eustatic at 5:47 AM on September 16, 2018 [2 favorites]

Popped in to see how the coastal MeFi contingent is faring. mightshould I'm glad you guys are mostly ok. sara is disenchated thanks also for the update & do stay safe out there. It looks like from the radar that the rain is starting to let up a bit down east, but damn everything falling westward will work its way there in the form of floodwaters.

We thus far are like SLOG and have managed to remain unscathed in downtown Raleigh. Again, if anyone needs to charge up or get a hot shower please feel free to MeMail us.

You guys all stay safe, hopefully we'll be out of these pesky woods in another day or two.
posted by yoga at 8:25 AM on September 16, 2018 [2 favorites]

Raining steadily in Asheville but not much wind, phew. The ground is so saturated at this point - by August we had already had 200% of our usual annual rainfall - that the trees are only just holding on. The Blue Ridge Parkway is completely closed. My son, who lives and works up at Pisgah Inn, was evacuated along with the rest of the staff. The French Broad and Swannanoa rivers will no doubt flood soon but that’s almost a regular event nowadays so we’re sort of used to it? Self link, here are some pictures from early May by way of an example. Anyway as of right now still have power and water and so on - just another very rainy day in a place where we’ve seen way too many of them lately.
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:03 AM on September 16, 2018 [7 favorites]

It’s been raining here in Charlotte basically nonstop for 24 hours, much harder since this morning. I think the official total was 5 inches yesterday and I’d assume we’ll double it today. We never lost power (knocking wood), but another part of our neighborhood did. We don’t have cable or internet which is a nuisance, but so far so good. Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools cancelled for Monday on Friday, which was smart. Union County (where my husband teaches) is “meeting to assess” today for some reason; perhaps they don’t have windows to look out??
posted by Sweetie Darling at 9:32 AM on September 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

via Slashdot / Quartz:

People fleeing Florence can find hundreds of places on Airbnb to stay for free; the company will screen applicants and cover homeowners for any damage up to $1 million. Harmany is an app created specifically to connect people during natural disasters. It's set up so that people who have a place can list it, adding it to a map where those needing shelter can find them. Gas Buddy, which lets users search for gas prices and availability by zip code, has set up a special "Florence Live Updates" page and section on its app so users can identify which gas stations are out of fuel, diesel, or power...

FEMA also recommends the Red Cross's Hurricane app, which shows location specific weather alerts, has a flashlight and an alarm, and allows users to connect with people in their contacts

posted by Little Dawn at 10:29 AM on September 16, 2018 [4 favorites]

Sunday afternoon we went to Cary to have lunch with my brother and his family and catch up on things. Afterwards, we got some groceries and gas — surprisingly short queues at Costco for gas — and took the long way back through Chatham County to see how Jordan Lake was doing. We came home to a house that had been without power for about an hour. One neighbor’s generator is busily grinding away and another neighbor’s dogs are just as busily responding to it. All in all I guess an ironic denouement of a Sunday that’s mostly just been persistent mild rain for us. Of course since the utility crews are badly overworked even minor power blips are going to turn into long term blackouts. So anyway, things are fine here, just unexpectedly dimmer than usual.
posted by ardgedee at 1:05 PM on September 16, 2018

And just south of Fayetteville NC:

Things mellower rain wise but the flooding is intensifying. Daughter now staying at my house because she was evacuated from the cape fear river floodplain.

Rain totals in my area:
Day one rain 1.2
Day two rain 7.8
Day three final is 10.5 inches
Today 3.8 thus far

Total event to date 23.3 inches rainfall

Hurricane Matthew dropped 17.3” total at this location.

They just blocked off highway 87 south of Fayetteville as the road has a creek running over its banks there.
posted by kabong the wiser at 2:27 PM on September 16, 2018 [3 favorites]

Yesterday, driving on the highway about 4 hours from the nearest part of the Carolinas, the overhead signs all read:

I-95 CLOSED IN NC
TRAVEL NOT ADVISED
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 8:37 AM on September 17, 2018 [3 favorites]

Durham had some unexpectedly severe weather overnight and into this morning, with heavy rains and tornado warnings. Areas of the Eno River are now flooding and some subdivisions near the Eno are being evacuated. AlertDurham
posted by bananana at 8:42 AM on September 17, 2018 [3 favorites]

The text from the above AlertDurham tweet:

We are evacuating Old Well due to Eno River flooding. Old Farm & River Forest that backs up to the Eno River this includes Rippling Stream, Whipporwill, Omega Rd, High Meadow Rd, and Foxhunt.
posted by bananana at 9:00 AM on September 17, 2018

According to gasbuddy there is no gas available in Wilmington or surrounding area. I fueled up before storm. No report from my home at this time. Still no power at mom's. Neighborhood has been out cleaning up some of debris. We have massive pile and aren't finished.
posted by mightshould at 9:37 AM on September 17, 2018 [2 favorites]

Went to my house, back to work now. Power on in parts of the Ogden area. Very little fuel. Water is ok.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 10:03 AM on September 17, 2018 [4 favorites]

After thinking we had dodged any serious problems from Florence in Chapel Hill, there was heavy rain yesterday into this morning, and bad flooding in some areas.
posted by thelonius at 12:40 PM on September 17, 2018 [2 favorites]

In Richmond, we're seeing the remnants of Florence in the form of several tornadoes that touched down today. My wife works downtown, and I work about 30 minutes west of the city, and we were both told to take shelter immediately for a while this afternoon. We're still under a tornado warning today until 10 p.m.

FB link to tornado video that's been making the rounds here. It did some serious damage to a small shopping center.
posted by emelenjr at 2:55 PM on September 17, 2018 [2 favorites]

I live on the Northside of Richmond and thunder was so loud during a conference call my coworkers asked if I needed to get away from the window in my house. Weather Underground shows 4" of rain today at a station nearby. Meanwhile, the Richmond airport is about 15 miles away and has only received 1/3 of an inch. It's been thundering for about 4 straight hours, but so far the really severe stuff has missed by neighborhood.
posted by COD at 4:48 PM on September 17, 2018 [3 favorites]

According to NWS Raleigh, Florence dropped 8 TRILLION gallons of rain on NC.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:26 AM on September 18, 2018 [4 favorites]

The forecasting of this storm was incredible; it did exactly what they said it was going to do. Even that little diagonal of heavier rain up through Durham County toward Virginia - I saw maps beforehand with that exact pattern.
posted by something something at 8:29 AM on September 18, 2018 [5 favorites]

8 TRILLION gallons of rain

How much water even is there?

"There are more than 326 million trillion gallons of water on Earth."
posted by thelonius at 8:51 AM on September 18, 2018 [4 favorites]

Thinking of all of you in the floods of Florence.
posted by jointhedance at 7:30 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]