Frankenstorm

Last year around Halloween, we had a snow storm, this year we have Hurricane Sandy - the storm of a century!  And she's coming our way...

I followed advice & am ready...

Filled my car with gas...

Went to the grocery store to buy non-perishables & water... 

Went to Office Max to buy extra batteries for my radio & flashlights... and water :)

MONDAY, 10.29.12

Here is the prediction from Foot's Forecast

* 8 AM to 6 PM: Winds increase to 40 mph
* 6 PM to 9 PM: Winds become sustained at 40-60 mph
* 9 PM to 12 AM: Occasional gusts to Hurricane Force (~74 mph)

Most businesses in Maryland have closed for the day to keep people off the roads.  The rain is supposed to come today with some wind and flooding.  My office has closed & implemented their 'work from home' policy... now I can watch The Weather Channel all day!!

8:45 am - Lots of rain and a little wind... waiting for the 'worst'

11:20 am - Wind is picking up and steady rain.  We are being asked to curtail water use until further notice. The York City Wastewater Treatment Plant is experiencing "extremely high" flow as a result of the rainfall, according to a Monday morning news release from York City. Areas that are served by the plant should not use water unnecessarily.

12:30 pm - Raining harder now.

"Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"

3:30 pm - Wind is getting slightly stronger - more wind gusts.  Took Shelby out and the lawn is getting to be one big puddle!  Hard to see in this picture, but my feet sunk right down as I ran out.

5:00 pm - Sandy's picking up strength & speed... and coming right at ME!  I am the blue dot, the red line is Sandy... holy guacamole, hold on!

I thought I better take a video even though nothing exciting was happening, I had to document something!!  It's obviously not very impressive or of good quality, but you can kinda see the trees & rain blowing in the wind.

I tried to take a video later when the wind was worse, but it was too dark and you couldn't see anything :(

9:00 pm - Still laying low & waiting.  The rain is bad and there is flooding all around.  Cable/Internet has flickered off & on twice.  Sandy is no longer a hurricane and being referred to as a 'super storm.' Electric is staying on for now... but Sandy is supposed to be going through York at 2:00 am.  I gave Shelby the couch...

10:30 pm - Can't stand the waiting.  We went to bed!

TUESDAY, 10.30.12

Prediction:  12 AM to 8 AM: Winds are still sustained at tropical storm force and begin to decrease below by 40 mph by 12 AM Wednesday.

6:30 am - From Justin Berk, Meteorologist - "The center of (former hurricane) Sandy passed right over Baltimore after midnight. The former hurricane shifted direction after entering Maryland. Instead of heading to York PA it dropped SW along I-95 and then stalled over east Baltimore. Watch it enter the right side of the image and the expand. Winds were 50-70 mph, hail was reported as cold air entered the system. Flooding increased on the Chesapeake Bay from the additional water flow to the Eastern Shore and Harford County."

I slept pretty well - my thoughts & the wind woke me up a few times, but not strong enough to be scary and I went right back to sleep!  Now to see if work has electricity...

2:00 pm - Sitting at work eating a late lunch.  Flood & Wind warnings have expired.  Back to a normal rainy day for me!  I'm soooo lucky though after watching all the devastation... especially in NY and NJ.  My prayers go out to all the families!!  Now to the grocery store tonight to buy all the refrigerated products I did not buy on Sunday and to return the 20 batteries I bought :)

Here are some incredible & unbelievable pictures.  And here is some before and after.