Hurricane Irene Log Up the East Coast

During the first twenty years I lived along the Texas Coastal Bend. I was an impressionable child during Hurricane Carla. I first knew family fear.

Every residence has a different one, maybe some big houses have two or more. You can identify it, but you'll probably won't find it untill daylight. This sound pierces the sanctity of our usual concept of home security, and it's as if some antidiluvian beast were howling from the depths of his soul. Even more unnerving than the Klingon death cry, if you frequent {/i}The Next Generation, of Star Trek{/i}. What firghtened me so about the sound each time was that the sound if organic--some pair of openings, otherwise unknown, wailing, then howling, then bands of rain beating the house windows and roof. And it's always the most fear inducing during dark hours.

There are going to be a lot lot of people all the way up the East Coast who will have an experience they will never forget. If you are a person dealing with the winds and torrential rainfall of Hurricane Irene, you should take precautions for your home and yourself. 55 million people may be affected by this weekend weather.

As I'm writing this as the winds are beginning to knock the lights and electricity out in the Carolina's. Kill Devil Hills has a weather channel reporter indicating winds are gusting to cause 24 foot waves offshore, with bands of rain continuing to fall, then move on as the next arrival of another circulating mass of warm water rain falling sideways, pushing on the buildings and trees, and signs, and awnings, and also of the sand base presently creating barrier islands. Barrier islands help protect land inland from more terrific damage. This "weather event" as defined sort of by George Carlin, will be history by Monday. The rains and powerful winds will blow themselves out at sea eventually.

The shock of people, the destruction of home and business, and what I fear most is the damage of civilized infrastructure. The more people that lose electricity, the more people and a longer time will be required to get it back. No ATMs without electricity, so if you haven't filled you gas tank yet, good luck. The problem of driving after winds hit are the blocked roads, and downed electric lines.

Stay inside your home as long as you experience hurricane gusting winds. If the hurricane winds seem to slow down, then stop, you are experiencing the eye of the storm. You may see blue skies, colorful clouds, and flying birds. Just as quickly as the wind stopped, it will begin again--with more rain--and more very powerful winds before you may have time to react.

If you survey property damages during the passing of the eye, if it passes directly over your location you may have only five, or less than ten minutes before you need to be in the safety of an interior space. Don't become so fascinated by the destruction you see that you lose track of time.

Winds blow the ocean into the land, really on to the land, actually on top of the land specifically, rising up into buildings, and down to whatever is down under--if it's a basement, a subway tunnel, or a roadway underpass. There's going to be lots of water by the time this thing blows into Staten ISLAND, and all the other islands which have been developed for comtemporary usage. Currently the Weather Channel shows evacuations indicated inland, almost to the Wall Street Exchange.

Infrastructure you never thought of, may be gone--until a new development comes,from new efforts, and the money? Sad possibilities.