Northeastern US members: How are you weathering Hurricane Irene?

Irene made landfall yesterday in NC (where my family happened to be vacationing up until Thursday when we were evacuated).

Apparently it followed us home as we are now getting pelted by heavy rain and significant winds.

So far so good, but I can't get to sleep with the winds pelting the house. It also doesn't help that my dining room windows are leaking at the tops. This is something we've known about, but it only ever happens in a driving rain, where the window is blowing the rain into the front of the house.

Right now I've got some towels duct taped to the window to try to keep it from dripping down onto the sill and the carpet. But now I've got my work cut out for me.... I'm going to have to pull the trim on the outside of the window, try to figure out where the leak is and repair it. Not looking forward to that job - and that's not to mention the interior drywall repairs that will be needed once everything dries out.

So, how is everyone faring? Hopefully everyone is safe and damage is minimal.

Well, with over 3 million without power, and, who knows, 25% of the population evacuated, you might be waiting awhile for very many responses. I'm sure some will trickle in, like the rain in your Dining Room.

We are up in the Pocono's and it raining and gusting high winds but so far so good. Now my house on Long Island.......that may be a different story. We are on the North Shore so not as bad as the South Shore. My daughter, who lives on the South Shore was evacuated and is at our house. Haven't heard from her yet this morning.
I keep telling her that my house has been there for 56 years and survived many hurricanes. This too shall pass. I will report more later.

My sister is in DC, and she says they've been getting pummeled by rain and high winds(as of yesterday). The storm seems to be losing a lot of its power as it spins into land. Some of my friends in NYC stayed home(high-rise apartment) and some moved up north. I actually think we got lucky with Irene...she could have been a lot worse if her power would have been more focused instead of being scattered so many hundreds of miles.

It's no where near as overhyped as the media portrayed it to be.

Lost two trees in the backyard. I think I can make a case to buy a chainsaw now (which is something I've needed for awhile now).

I live in Queens, and I think I slept through the brunt of it. No damage to my apartment, and no downed trees that I can see, but I haven't ventured out yet... Still a bit windy...

Glad to hear that so far there is not a lot of damage.

cwa107 said:

Lost two trees in the backyard. I think I can make a case to buy a chainsaw now (which is something I've needed for awhile now).

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LOL! Sounds good to me!

The clouds don't look so pretty here in Cleveland.

cwa107 said:

Lost two trees in the backyard. I think I can make a case to buy a chainsaw now (which is something I've needed for awhile now).

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That's the way I look at life too . . . . ..

Every problem is a golden opportunity to buy more power tools!

Over a third of Marylanders are out of power. We lost a tree in the front yard - there are countless trees uprooted around here - and we can't take a left out of the neighborhood since there's still a power line down and a cop blocking the road.

Remarkably - we didn't lose power - of course I could have predicted that since I dropped $5k on a generator this week!

That is cheating Brian! Grin

Are you sharing some of that power with your neighbors?

hahahaha.

Good move getting that Generator though just in case.

LOL. Well my wife got a note from one of her friends asking if they could buy our generator - then knew we had managed to get one of the last ones - that is until they heard how much it cost. Believe me - I did NOT want to spend that much on a freaking generator - but I felt like I had no choice and I barely got that one. Literally someone tried to buy it out from under me. Had we lost power - we would have been in big trouble as I'd be bailing out a foot of water from the basement right now. I about killed myself trying to get that thing out of the Sequoia! I had bought 2 ramps at Lowes to help with the task but they both slipped and one fell completely and there I was with a 330lb generator trapped on the bumper with me holding half of it. I was very fortunate to be able to bend down and reach the ramp - and I basically brought it down in a controlled crash.

I've offered to lend the generator out. Someone may as well get some use out of it.

this storm has ruined my plans of getting back to school in the Republic of Poland. My flight out of Newark Airport in NYC area is cancelled for monday. My backyard has become a lake. My neighbors across the street have lakes in their backyards as well. this one is definitely going to be on the record books. a full scale evacuation of NYC was executed. I hear many parts of the east coast are having power outtages. 8 people died from the storm. I think its done quite enough.

The middle of the storm system seems to have passed a little north of us in MA mainly going over New Jersey, New York and headed into Vermont and upper New Hampshire..we had a good amount of rain and wind..but nothing to bring down any tree limbs let alone any trees..

We've got a good amount of small branches and leaves strewn about our yard..

I'm just glad and amazed that we didn't lose power since the power lines are very fragile near my house and any bit of wind and rain and I end up losing power..

eliehass said:

I live in Queens, and I think I slept through the brunt of it. No damage to my apartment, and no downed trees that I can see, but I haven't ventured out yet... Still a bit windy...

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Where are you in Queens? We are too..right near the water at Hunters' Point (where the big ol' Pepsi Sign is). Nothing happened here at all. In fact, the rain put me to sleep like a baby!

Here's the worst of what happened:


A downed tree




Some displaced docks (purposefully I believe)



A couple of broken hurricane party glasses


Toppled barricade


And hurricane hairdo



Otherwise, things are very much the same.. if not better considering that I got paid to take off for the day.

Doug

And here we are sitting in Fort Worth Texas with today's temperature around 100 F and no rain in sight...... ;P

Doug b said:

And hurricane hairdo

Doug

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The Horror!!! Simply tragic!! Mother nature is merciless!!

Doug b said:

Where are you in Queens? We are too..right near the water at Hunters' Point (where the big ol' Pepsi Sign is). Nothing happened here at all. In fact, the rain put me to sleep like a baby!

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I'm in Kew Gardens Hills, near Queens College. Supposedly the college suffered some damage. They still haven't decided if there will be class tomorrow.

My area got hit hard..down trees on powerlines everywhere..some local flooding but not too bad..but I'm sure we will be without power for a few days.

Took some great pics but can't upload them yet.

eliehass said:

I'm in Kew Gardens Hills, near Queens College. Supposedly the college suffered some damage. They still haven't decided if there will be class tomorrow.

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Dude, I grew up off of Main St. and 78th Road. My grandparents lived not but blocks from Queens College when I was a baby right off of Kissena Blvd around the block from Kissena Park, and my wife and I lived in Briarwood before moving to Europe more than a year ago. I know the area very well. Though those neighborhoods have changed a lot since I grew up.

Doug

Edit: I'd like to refine my last sentence. It should read: "since I've aged". That would be more accurate.