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August 1, 2006
JeeZUS, don't DO that while I'm sleeping
All week long I've been watching this tropical wave at the NOAA web site. It's been crossing the Atlantic along with a steady soundtrack of "conditions are unfavorable for development...conditions are unfavorable for development...conditions are unfavorable for development."
Last night before I went to bed it changed to "conditions are unfavorable for development, but only a slight change would upgrade this to a tropical depression".
A reminder that shit happens, even when you're asleep: I present to you Tropical Storm Chris:
The past couple of weeks I've been working on the hurricane supplies, feeling like the safety fascist rescue hero wannabe that I am, and vaguely pleased with myself for being such a good daddy. This morning, sitting at my computer, I can see the big pile of bottled water and canned peaches and Ritz crackers and all I can think about is what I haven't done yet.
My first storm since Alicia in 1984.
Welcome to New Orleans.
Posted by ray at August 1, 2006 7:05 AM | Permalink
Categories: [new orleans ]
Comments
When you started talking about moving back to New Orleans I didn't get it at first. It seemed nuts. But now I get it. And I realized that I had the almost the same thing happen back in 1994. I needed to come back to Los Angeles after the earthquake I think for some of the same reasons. And it's also why I'm so pleased to work in the earthquake office here. So I get it now. Good luck with the storms. At least you can see them coming.
Posted by: Stan at August 1, 2006 12:05 PM
Er, Ray, what exactly do you mean "hurricane supplies"??? I hope you're not thinking of staying for one! Surely there's someone in Austin who would love to have Ray and all his Rayfolk come for a nice, safe visit, in the event a storm comes anywhere near. Please refer to the newly released USACoE rainfall flood prediction maps (that I can't find any more).
As for NOAA and those dang maps and graphs and percentages, BTDT. Just be aware that they don't move that cone fast. To see where the things are really going, one has to read the computer models with a close eye to time of modeling. JMHO.
I used to kind of enjoy watching hurricanes online. No more. Not after that last one. *sigh*
Posted by: Sophmom at August 1, 2006 4:22 PM
While in Fort Myers, I heard many sentences that began "before Charlie." It's hard, no matter how much you read about disaster, to understand the impact on the people affected.
As I was loading the car and the subject of hurricanes came up, my brother cheerily told me, "Hey! It's already August and we're only on B." Before Chris was named, of course.
Being the buzzkill that I am, I replied, "Yeah and Wilma starts with W. Will you be careful and not go surfing like an idiot?"
He does live on the second floor now.
Posted by: Whirly at August 1, 2006 6:54 PM
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