weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

[nourishment]

Originally posted by teriaki

what's his name?

...and do you have a webcam?

[silvershoes]

Originally posted by vicman

my sister supposed to be up here for business over the weekend, now we'll have to wait and see what the deal is with this hurricane.

you have a sister?

[vicman]

Originally posted by silvershoes

you have a sister?

i gots 2.

[vicman]

Originally posted by teriaki

what's his name?

i edited my post. as if i don't know you guys.

[jamiroguy1]

Sorry, vic... Too late for edits. lol

[vicman]

CNN) -- Hurricane Isabel's winds have slowed slightly as the dangerous storm remains on a predicted path toward the U.S. East Coast, the National Hurricane Center said Monday.

The latest advisory, issued at 5 a.m. EDT, rated Isabel as a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of near 150 mph (240 km/h), 5 mph (8 km/h) slower than they were late Sunday.

"It's a little too early to know whether we're going to have a direct hit on the Eastern U.S., but it's increasingly likely that the area from the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast will be affected by Isabel," said Ed Rappaport, the hurricane center's deputy director.

According to the hurricane center, the storm is about 820 miles (1,320 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and about 525 miles (845 kilometers) east of Nassau, Bahamas.

Isabel was moving to the west-northwest near 10 mph (17 km/h), and forecasters said they expected it to turn gradually northwest during the next 24 hours.

U.S. Navy and Air Force commanders are considering whether to order hurricane evacuations for military ships and aircraft to safer inland bases and ocean areas outside the storm's path.

If plans are activated, hundreds of fighter jets, transport planes and helicopters would be sent to safer inland bases, and ships would be ordered to evacuate bases and sail to safety outside Isabel's projected path.

The hurricane has twice reached the Category 5 threshold of 156 mph (250 km/h), but forecasters said the storm likely would experience a gradual weakening before landfall. Category 5 is the most powerful hurricane rating on the Saffir-Simpson scale of strength.

If it does reach land, Isabel is expected to be a Category 3 hurricane, with winds from 111 mph to 130 mph (178 km/h to 208 km/h), center meteorologist Michelle Mainelli said.

Category 3 storms are capable of doing structural damage to homes and buildings and blowing down large trees. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water at least three hours before the eye of the hurricane hits.

But Rappaport said that minor fluctuations in strength would make little difference in Isabel's effects.

"Once you get to a Category 3 or higher, you can expect extensive damage and adding 5 mph or taking away 5 mph is not going to change that," he said. "This will be one of the strongest storms seen in the landfall area in the last several decades."

The hurricane center warned that large ocean swells and dangerous surf conditions were likely over parts of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Bahamas over the next several days. Those surf conditions also were predicted to affect the Southeastern U.S. coast.

The last Category 5 hurricane to strike the United States was Andrew in 1992.

Rappaport said the storm's strength -- and the relative inexperience in dealing with strong hurricanes -- could pose problems.

"We don't have many people who have gone through that," he said. "The people who went through Andrew went through Hugo, but we haven't had a major hurricane of this strength since those two hit the United States."

Hurricane Hugo came ashore as a Category 4 storm in South Carolina in September 1989, tracking well inward over western North Carolina and Virginia, through the Midwest and Great Lakes area and into Canada as it gradually diminished. In 1996, Fran, a Category 3 hurricane, made landfall in North Carolina.

National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield advised residents on the East Coast to take time to check their hurricane plans and know what to do should Isabel strike their communities.

Southeastern retailers reported that residents were stocking up on supplies, according to The Associated Press.

"They don't want to get caught with their pants down," Steve Myers, co-manager of a lumber store in Georgetown, South Carolina, told the AP. Despite higher plywood prices, Myers told the AP that prices are still "cheaper than a $300 window." (Full story)

Andrew -- which stands as the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history -- killed 43 people in Florida and Louisiana and caused $26.5 billion in damage, according to the National Weather Service.

Another Category 5 hurricane, Camille, hit the upper Gulf Coast in 1969, causing $1.4 billion in damage.

In 1998, Category 5 hurricane Mitch hit Central America, killing about 11,000 people, according to the AP.

[vicman]

they expect it to be a category 3 if and when does make landfall.

[jamiroguy1]

That doesn't make me feel any better....

They still say:

"Once you get to a Category 3 or higher, you can expect extensive damage and adding 5 mph or taking away 5 mph is not going to change that," he said. "This will be one of the strongest storms seen in the landfall area in the last several decades."

[crank47]

the only hurricane that I recall hitting DC, more or less directly, was Agnes in '72. I believe that was only a cat 1 and they were still repairing damage from it into the '90's. If this hits us as a cat 3, it's going to get really ugly around here.

[cookiegirl]

Damn! I'll be thinking of you guys! Stay safe.

Isabel churns west-northwestward

9/15/2003 12:34 P.M.

Buzz Bernard, Sr. Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

Isabel, still an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane, continues to track inexorably toward the U. S. The hurricane, currently centered about 500 miles east of Nassau, Bahamas, and looking a bit more raggedy in satellite imagery than it did yesterday, is churning toward the WNW but is forecast to shift to a more northwesterly course today. It remains likely that Isabel, as a major hurricane (winds in excess of 110 mph) and possibly still as a category 4 monster, will thunder ashore sometime Thursday along the Mid-Atlantic coast. No location from North Carolina to Long Island is off the hook. The exact location of Isabel's landfall may be difficult to predict due to the extreme angle at which the storm could be approaching the coast, especially if it stays out to sea north of Cape Hatteras. A very tiny change in the hurricane's direction of movement could shift its landfall by a hundred miles or more. Although Isabel is not a particularly large hurricane, its wind field will expand dramatically as it nears the U. S. and encounters a building high pressure area over the Northeast. Thus, even though the strongest winds should occur someplace along the Mid-Atlantic coast (wherever Isabel comes ashore), gales eventually could pound beaches as far north as Maine. In the meantime, the first harbingers of Isabel's fury will be building surf and rip currents along the Eastern Seaboard. No high surf warnings have yet been issued, but it shouldn't be long before some are. Today, large swells and dangerous surf are battering portions of the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands and the Greater and Lesser Antilles.

[vicman]

some friends had their place pretty much wrecked when andrew hit miami 10 years ago. it can get pretty darn nasty.

[kken]

i'm gonna get good vibes here... i'll say it's not gonna directly hit dc and in fact will kinda die down to cat 1 or downgraded to tropical storm... eh what do i know hehe.

[vicman]

News 03-366

For Immediate Release: September 15, 2003

County Urges Residents to Prepare;

Offers Hurricane Safety Tips and Reminders

With Hurricane Isabel moving toward the east coast, Montgomery County's Department of Fire and Rescue Service urges residents to prepare for hurricane safety and to heed storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service.

The effects of a hurricane or tropical storm can be far-reaching. Areas impacted directly by a hurricane or tropical storm can be affected by high winds and flooding, especially along waterways and in low-lying areas. Fringe areas of these storms are vulnerable to tornadoes and in-land flooding caused by heavy rain. Hurricane season traditionally continues through November.

A hurricane watch is issued if there is a threat of hurricane conditions within 24-36 hours. A warning is issued when hurricane conditions are expected in a specified area in 24 hours or less. Hurricane conditions include winds of 74 miles an hour (64 knots) or greater, and/or dangerously high tides and waves. Actions to protect life and property should begin immediately when the warning is issued.

Hurricane Preparedness Tips

· Keep flashlights and battery-powered radios with extra batteries on hand, along with a basic first aid kit, emergency food and water, and a non-electric can opener.

· Listen to the radio or television for hurricane progress reports.

· Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, toys and garden tools; or anchor objects that cannot be brought inside but that could be wind-tossed.

· Remove outdoor antennas, if possible.

· Clean out gutters.

· Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting in anticipation of a power outage. Open the door only when necessary and close quickly.

· Refrain from putting out trash cans the night before the regular pick up.

During Power Outages

· Keep a sufficient supply of flashlights and fresh batteries on hand to provide lighting during power outages.

· Avoid using candles for lighting. Use a battery-powered flashlight.

· Never use a candle when fueling equipment such as a kerosene heater or lantern, since the candle flame can ignite fumes from the fuel.

Flooding

· In anticipation of possible flooding, citizens are encouraged to store valuables and personal papers in a waterproof container; and avoid areas subject to flooding, including low spots, canals and streams. Do not attempt to drive over a flooded road -- you can be stranded or trapped. The depth of the water and the condition of the road is not always obvious.

Night Time Safety

· Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers, downed wires and other hazards.

High Winds

· For downed trees due to high winds, report those on County property to the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation at 240-777-ROAD. To report trees that have fallen on utility lines, contact the local utility companies. "Hot" wires or sparking wires, especially those across roadways, may be reported by calling 9-1-1.

· Trees that have fallen on private property are the responsibility of the property owner. The County's Division of Consumer Affairs advises homeowners to deal with established businesses only, and to call Consumer Affairs first to check on a business complaint record. Consumer Affairs can be reached at 240-777-3636.

For more information about emergency preparedness, contact the Office of Emergency Management at 240-777-2300. The County's Crisis Center is staffed 24-hours a day and can be reached at 240-777-4000.

Hurricane information and publications are also available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) web sites: www.nws.noaa.gov (with information on hurricane awareness, natural hazard statistics and publications) and www.education.noaa.gov (with resources for teachers and students).

***********************

this only applies to MD residents. VA and DC residents go get your own info.

[vicman]

[vicman]

[vicman]

[jamiroguy1]

ooh.. I'm stealing these images and putting them on ezdreamer. ha!

[vicman]

[vicman]

[vicman]

[vicman]

[vixenfoxxy]

Originally posted by teriaki

Where's she docked?

In New York, on Long Island, but I think we're gonna pull her out for the storm Booooo you shoulda seen what a basket case I was just seeing the damage to *other* people's boats after Andrew

[teriaki]

Originally posted by vixenfoxxy

In New York, on Long Island, but I think we're gonna pull her out for the storm Booooo you shoulda seen what a basket case I was just seeing the damage to *other* people's boats after Andrew

I can comfort you during the hurricaine.

[scratchapella]

dayamn. . .this makes me want to go surfing

[scratchapella]

oh, wait. . . i live in the basement apartment of a 70 year old townhouse. . .should i be worried?