Preparing for Sandy

[riptides]

For water collection, we also have used our trash bins. This is of course for plumbing purposes.

Water in the bins also provides a nice anchor point, and cleans them out.

 

[jimmyj]

I'm a bit further north and only on the fringe but why take a chance? We are in a pretty rural area and would be low on the priority list for power restoration. We are stocked up on propane for the grill, firewood, water, gas, diesel, food, and, yes of course, beer. Mmmm, beer. We are lucky to have a big pond so flushing water is no problem and we heat with wood so we can cook and heat on the wood stove.

I've gotta go out now and put away a few items that may blow away such as lawn furniture, and I'm gonna park the truck where it will block the wind by one of those portable garage thingees. I think we'll be ok but I'm going to test the genny just in case.

Good luck to those of you in the NE USA.

 

[Tig]

There's a lot of land between here and landfall. The brunt of the storm will certainly be faced by those to the south east. Stay safe!
Here winds are picking up from the north, off the bay. I filled the wood box. If the winds get any stronger I'll be able to check "clean up leaves" off my to do list.
Need to get:
Chain saw and tractor fueled up
Inverter set up for work tomorrow. I imagine we'll see some power issues from the wind.

Rain will add up before this is over. The river on the east edge of my place drains about 50,000 acres. It's due for a good flush. Glad I raised my house three feet when I rebuilt.

 

[Rob-D]

I'm a bit further north and only on the fringe but why take a chance? We are in a pretty rural area and would be low on the priority list for power restoration. We are stocked up on propane for the grill, firewood, water, gas, diesel, food, and, yes of course, beer. Mmmm, beer. We are lucky to have a big pond so flushing water is no problem and we heat with wood so we can cook and heat on the wood stove.

I've gotta go out now and put away a few items that may blow away such as lawn furniture, and I'm gonna park the truck where it will block the wind by one of those portable garage thingees. I think we'll be ok but I'm going to test the genny just in case.

Good luck to those of you in the NE USA.

That's a good idea using the truck to block the wind!

I think people living in truly rural areas are always a little bit better prepared for emergencies, just by the nature of where they live. You never know when the weather is going to kick up here.
With that said, by all means be prepared but I wonder about the hype of these things. Sure coastal areas are always hit hard but I look at the path maps and I wonder how good computer simulations are. There are a lot of variables and when you have two storms coming together you multiply those variables 10 fold. Truth be told I'll bet the weather guys love the attention and being alarmists. For example, it's pretty hard to pick wind speeds a thousand miles away and inland from a storm in the Carolinas, so how accurate can wind predictions be in the Catskills really? Again, be prepared I'm not saying this will be a cake walk but there is no reason to be alarmists predicting this could be the worst storm ever like I have read around the net.
Rob

 

[tmajor]

How many people from Pa. an New York fear the worst from Sandy. Is it coming were they say it is.

I'd say, the forecasters have been pretty accurate, so far. Here in NE PA the wind has gotten to be a pretty constant "low howl", with occasional gusts, which rattle things pretty good. There is kind of a fog moving near the ground, with intermittent heavy rain. All of which, seems to be intensifying. The lights have flickered a couple of times. I'll have a much better feel for the outcome of things tomorrow. :laughing:

 

[Rob-D]

I'd say, the forecasters have been pretty accurate, so far. Here in NE PA the wind has gotten to be a pretty constant "low howl", with occasional gusts, which rattle things pretty good. There is kind of a fog moving near the ground, with intermittent heavy rain. All of which, seems to be intensifying. The lights have flickered a couple of times. I'll have a much better feel for the outcome of things tomorrow. :laughing:

I have a pretty accurate weather station here. NOAA is predicting winds as high as 55 mph (yesterday they said 65 and the day before 55). Anyway the highest I've seen so far is 27 mph with average wind speeds around 10 to 14 mph. Daily rain so far is .1 inch, barometer is at 29.19 inches with an outside temp of 51F.
In order to predict the path of the storm going northward from interior PA several factors have to be known and they are all variables so I'll say again, prepare for the worst but my guess is that as the storm progresses inland it will drop in intensity.It could go into Ohio or north to the Buffalo area of NY depending on what happens when it meets the inland storm.

Rob

 

[Ductape]

Breaking news............

 

[Sutol]

Humour me please with this one.
I know I'm just a stupid Limey but why buy water from Walmart when you can fill containers from the tap?

Is it me ??

 

[riptides]

Humour me please with this one.
I know I'm just a stupid Limey but why buy water from Walmart when you can fill containers from the tap?

Is it me ??

A lot of people just don't want open water containers all over the house.

Some rural areas, like my own, have well water. I don't mind it, but my kids do not drink it.

 

[Sutol]

A lot of people just don't want open water containers all over the house.

Some rural areas, like my own, have well water. I don't mind it, but my kids do not drink it.

We store drinking water in gallon plastic containers with screw tops, keep em in the dark an they will keep weeks.We have a cleaned out IBC which is 1000litres and can be filled if water is going to be short like when mains pipes burst etc (they are 150 years old round here and cast iron)

Not many people are prepared for more than a few hours without anything over here lol