anybody else tired of "storm of the century"

[Jeannie in NJ]

I am tired of hearing that each storm will be the "worst storm" ever seen. I mean Hurricane Gloria in 1985 , we were told that our town would no longer exist so I drove 4 hours in the hurricane to get to Philly. no damage. Then hurricane Grace which had voluntary evactuation (I stayed). Last year for Irene, people in our county were told to put a card in their shoes so their bodies could be identified and we left but had absolutly no damage. Now we are being told that Sandy might be the worst storm ever. What to believe? and where to go if we do leave?

[delaney]

They always overplay it. We are not in an area that floods, we rarely lose power, and they always freak out here. I think the dericho that came through this summer really has people spooked. My kids are terrified of high winds now. Over near the bay I would be worried. 70 mph winds? Nah. We had worse than that back in 2003 when we built the house.

[Word Nerd]

I'm tired of Frankenstorm too.

[*Michelle*]

I am tired of hearing that each storm will be the "worst storm" ever seen. I mean Hurricane Gloria in 1985 , we were told that our town would no longer exist so I drove 4 hours in the hurricane to get to Philly. no damage. Then hurricane Grace which had voluntary evactuation (I stayed). Last year for Irene, people in our county were told to put a card in their shoes so their bodies could be identified and we left but had absolutly no damage. Now we are being told that Sandy might be the worst storm ever. What to believe? and where to go if we do leave?

 

Think of us in Florida. We go through this every other week during the season. :lol:

 

Seriously, I hate that they overhype these things because it makes people less likely to heed the really necessary warnings. I wish there were a middle ground.

[Cricket]

Think of us in Florida. We go through this every other week during the season. :lol:

 

Seriously, I hate that they overhype these things because it makes people less likely to heed the really necessary warnings. I wish there were a middle ground.

 

:iagree: My dad grew up in New Orleans. They heard it all the time. They finally got it right for Katrina. I wonder how many people stayed because of previous storms that didn't live up to the hype.

 

Whenever I hear a forecaster talk about the "worst ever" it is irritating. There is sometimes a little side mention of "since scientists have started keeping records." Oh, and when was that? Just over 100 years ago you say? And the earth is how old? :tongue_smilie: Sometimes they will even say right out "this is the worst ____ since 1990!!!" :001_huh: :001_rolleyes:

[sparrow]

:grouphug: It would drive me crazy and my anxiety level would be through the roof.

 

Sandy is looking a little scary, though. I hope all our Hive stays safe!

[hillfarm]

I commented to dh last night that it annoyed to me to hear a newscaster excitedly proclaim, "This unprecedented storm may be similar to or even worse than the Halloween storm, Hurricane X, and Hurricane Y!" Perhaps someone needs to go look up the definition of "unprecedented".:glare:

 

Regarding false alarms, each family has to make their own choice. If the weather forecasters downplay something that turns out to be major, then people are mad. If they overplay something that turns out to be minor, then people are mad.

 

The fact is that meterological science is just not a very precise art. The technology and knowledge does not exist to be able to pinpoint which area will receive damage and which will not. However, I would much prefer things this way than the way they used to be.

 

Several of the older folks I know remember back to before the time of modern weather forecasting. They had to be constantly prepared for the very worst weather their area would get or risk dying in it if unprepared.

 

Forty people have died already from Hurricane Sandy. Are you willing to risk staying in a place that has been identified as "potentially" dangerous? Of course, that designation could be a false alarm. But it might be deadly accurate. Not a chance that I am willing to take.

[datgh]

Personally I am welcoming all the hype of this storm because it beats listening to all the election stuff which I am beyond tired of

. Finally something new to talk about!

[Wheres Toto]

Regarding false alarms, each family has to make their own choice. If the weather forecasters downplay something that turns out to be major, then people are mad. If they overplay something that turns out to be minor, then people are mad.

 

The fact is that meterological science is just not a very precise art. The technology and knowledge does not exist to be able to pinpoint which area will receive damage and which will not. However, I would much prefer things this way than the way they used to be.

 

 

:iagree: As annoying as I'm finding the Frankenstorm stuff, they really have a responsibility to warn people about the possibility. If they don't and it's very bad, even more people will die. If we are lucky and it moves away, it's annoying but no real harm done.

 

ETA: My uncle recently retired after 60 years working for the NOAA and always tells us that it's a "best guess". They really can't tell for sure.

[nono]

I am much more scared of inland flash floods and winds dropping trees left and right than I am of storm surge.

 

Ask me again on Wednesday if I feel the same way. ;)

 

But seriously, as you say, where to go? I'd have to drive more than a tankful of gas away to get "safe" and I simply don't have that kind of money these days.

[justasque]

I just look at it as motivation to do what needs to be done anyway. Doesn't hurt to clean up the yard and put away summer stuff - this doubles as snow prep. Doesn't hurt to fill up with gas - gonna use it at some point anyway. Doesn't hurt to have a jar or two of peanut butter - ditto. Catching up with laundry is always a good thing. Flashlights - how many do we have, where are they anyway, can we ditch a few now that LED ones use fewer batteries?

 

I'm lucky that we don't have to evacuate, but it never hurts to think through that process - are our important documents all together, etc. Each storm is an opportunity to update general preparation. Worst comes to worst, if there's no storm, we're a bit tidier and more organized than we were before.

[butterflymommy]

I'm tired of it too. For Irene we were just feet away from the line for required evacuation. The people across the street evacuated, we did not. Where would we have gone to anyway? The high school exactly half a mile away (and just as close to a flood line)? 8 months pregnant, 6 children and an unhelpful, foul tempered hubby in tow? No thanks. Honestly I think we would have faced more danger in the shelter than here. I'm on the edge of a few unsavory neighborhoods that include any number of halfway houses, and they would have been our sleeping buddies.

 

That being said Irene was pretty scary, there were times the rain and wind sounded like a train roaring past the house. But the only severe damage I've seen in nearly 20 years of living here was from a freak tornado 3 years ago. Huge trees were littering our yard like toothpicks. There was no warning for that one!

[Pawz4me]

Regarding false alarms, each family has to make their own choice. If the weather forecasters downplay something that turns out to be major, then people are mad. If they overplay something that turns out to be minor, then people are mad.

 

The fact is that meterological science is just not a very precise art. The technology and knowledge does not exist to be able to pinpoint which area will receive damage and which will not. However, I would much prefer things this way than the way they used to be.

 

Several of the older folks I know remember back to before the time of modern weather forecasting. They had to be constantly prepared for the very worst weather their area would get or risk dying in it if unprepared.

 

Forty people have died already from Hurricane Sandy. Are you willing to risk staying in a place that has been identified as "potentially" dangerous? Of course, that designation could be a false alarm. But it might be deadly accurate. Not a chance that I am willing to take.

 

:iagree:

 

Truthfully, I'm tired of people complaining about Sandy (and other weather events) being over-hyped. I've heard it over and over on various message boards and in real life today. The weather people can only run things through their models and make their best guesses. When lives are at stake the media has a responsibility to inform. It's very, very easy to sit back and complain. Heck, it's the American way. :tongue_smilie: But put yourself in a weather forecaster or media person's shoes and look at things from their perspective. They have to err on the side of caution, and when it comes to potentially life-threatening weather events that means better to over-hype than not.

[nono]

Well but the headlines and first paragraphs haven't been adding up to the rest of the story. I think that's what galls those of us who will probably take a direct hit. To get an idea of what the storm surge actually will be, I had to cross-reference an awesome article in the Atlantic City Press from early March (What Floods First, Lessons from the '62 storm) against normal "astronomical tide" line for the next three days. Still didn't give enough of a picture. Then, lucky for us, Mike Seidel sent out, via Facebook, the expected increase over normal tides from the National Weather Service. Ah, picture complete. Yes, the bay and ocean should be meeting in front of my house.

 

Why am I doing all this work to get a full picture with all these people "monitoring" the storms on my behalf?

 

That's my irritation with the process as it works today with the media.

[LibraryLover]

I just look at it as motivation to do what needs to be done anyway. Doesn't hurt to clean up the yard and put away summer stuff - this doubles as snow prep. Doesn't hurt to fill up with gas - gonna use it at some point anyway. Doesn't hurt to have a jar or two of peanut butter - ditto. Catching up with laundry is always a good thing. Flashlights - how many do we have, where are they anyway, can we ditch a few now that LED ones use fewer batteries?

 

I'm lucky that we don't have to evacuate, but it never hurts to think through that process - are our important documents all together, etc. Each storm is an opportunity to update general preparation. Worst comes to worst, if there's no storm, we're a bit tidier and more organized than we were before.

 

:iagree: it's media, yes. But for them it's ****ed if you do, ****ed if you don't. Shut the TV down if it bugs. Nobody is obligated to listen to 24/7 news.

[Carrie12345]

Well but the headlines and first paragraphs haven't been adding up to the rest of the story. I think that's what galls those of us who will probably take a direct hit. To get an idea of what the storm surge actually will be, I had to cross-reference an awesome article in the Atlantic City Press from early March (What Floods First, Lessons from the '62 storm) against normal "astronomical tide" line for the next three days. Still didn't give enough of a picture. Then, lucky for us, Mike Seidel sent out, via Facebook, the expected increase over normal tides from the National Weather Service. Ah, picture complete. Yes, the bay and ocean should be meeting in front of my house.

 

Why am I doing all this work to get a full picture with all these people "monitoring" the storms on my behalf?

 

That's my irritation with the process as it works today with the media.

 

Interesting point!

 

We have to rely a lot on our own experience here. "Local" news mostly covers the lower lying big towns, so creek and river flooding is the main story, with wind secondary. Our property on our little mountain gets much higher than average winds and hits lower temps. And we're far enough and high enough to avoid flooding at the house. So we have to do our own memory math, so to speak.

 

I'm not sick of hearing about it as much as I'm sick of waiting for it. I'm bracing for worse than I'm hearing, and I'd like to get it over with now!

[cara]

Honestly, after Isaac this year, I would leave for any storm, Isaac was a Cat 1 like Sandy and caused major damage in some areas. The there are the power outages that can last for weeks. It was a scary, nerve wracking experience and we were among the lucky few that didn't lose power.

 

Take the warnings seriously. Prepare or evacuate but take them seriously. If it is nothing, then count your blessings.

 

Also check with your state's food stamp offices web page. Here people were allowed to pre register for disaster food stamps. This was supposed to make things easier.

[Melissa in Australia]

I can understand why specialists make everything sound way worse that it winds up.

Have you heard about what happened in Italy when the specialists predicted that there probably won't be an earthquake after a series of tremors? they were charged with manslaughter and sent to jail.

[justasque]

Well but the headlines and first paragraphs haven't been adding up to the rest of the story. ...

Why am I doing all this work to get a full picture with all these people "monitoring" the storms on my behalf?

 

That's my irritation with the process as it works today with the media.

 

Yeah, that drives me nuts too. But I have to remember that not everyone wants or needs the finer scientific analysis that our Hive minds crave! :D Many people's eyes would glaze over. So you end up with simplified hype, which, in the case of this storm, does seem on the surface to not add up.

[G5052]

They have to predict the worst because indeed if it is bad and they don't warn, they are legally liable. Any business and professional can be sued these days.

 

That said, I dread the storm because of the disruption and potential damage. DH is disabled, and we discovered a problem with our generator yesterday afternoon (too late), so it may or may not work if we need it. We ordered the part (ha!), but probably need to replace it.

 

I don't need to hear how bad it might be. I need a new generator NOW.

[Lady Florida.]

Think of us in Florida. We go through this every other week during the season. :lol:

 

Seriously, I hate that they overhype these things because it makes people less likely to heed the really necessary warnings. I wish there were a middle ground.

 

 

:iagree:

[twinmami01]

Think of us in Florida. We go through this every other week during the season. :lol:

 

Seriously, I hate that they overhype these things because it makes people less likely to heed the really necessary warnings. I wish there were a middle ground.

 

:iagree:

[celticmom]

We almost did not evacuate for Katrina because we had just evacuated for a non-event hurricane a few weeks prior.

[cathmom]

 

Regarding false alarms, each family has to make their own choice. If the weather forecasters downplay something that turns out to be major, then people are mad. If they overplay something that turns out to be minor, then people are mad.

 

The fact is that meterological science is just not a very precise art. The technology and knowledge does not exist to be able to pinpoint which area will receive damage and which will not. However, I would much prefer things this way than the way they used to be.

 

Several of the older folks I know remember back to before the time of modern weather forecasting. They had to be constantly prepared for the very worst weather their area would get or risk dying in it if unprepared.

 

Forty people have died already from Hurricane Sandy. Are you willing to risk staying in a place that has been identified as "potentially" dangerous? Of course, that designation could be a false alarm. But it might be deadly accurate. Not a chance that I am willing to take.

 

Right. Read about the hurricane that struck Galveston in 1900 and you'll be happy for modern forecasting no matter how hyped.

[Firestar Academy]

I am much more scared of inland flash floods and winds dropping trees left and right than I am of storm surge.

 

Ask me again on Wednesday if I feel the same way. ;)

 

But seriously, as you say, where to go? I'd have to drive more than a tankful of gas away to get "safe" and I simply don't have that kind of money these days.

 

 

:iagree::iagree:

 

 

I just look at it as motivation to do what needs to be done anyway. Doesn't hurt to clean up the yard and put away summer stuff - this doubles as snow prep. Doesn't hurt to fill up with gas - gonna use it at some point anyway. Doesn't hurt to have a jar or two of peanut butter - ditto. Catching up with laundry is always a good thing. Flashlights - how many do we have, where are they anyway, can we ditch a few now that LED ones use fewer batteries?

 

I'm lucky that we don't have to evacuate, but it never hurts to think through that process - are our important documents all together, etc. Each storm is an opportunity to update general preparation. Worst comes to worst, if there's no storm, we're a bit tidier and more organized than we were before.

:iagree::iagree:

 

Jeannie in NJ - I am probably not more than a couple hours from you. come to my house!!

 

Robin in NJ

[YaelAldrich]

We almost did not evacuate for Katrina because we had just evacuated for a non-event hurricane a few weeks prior.

We moved to NOLA in the midst of that non event hurricane! When we found out about Katrina, we too did not think about evacuating until a neighbor came to us and implored us to leave. I'm so glad we did.

 

Stay safe and G-d bless everyone in Sandy's path.

[Mom in High Heels]

I get that they have to predict the worst, but each time they hype it and hype it more and it's going to desensitize people, so that when a REALLY bad storm comes through (see: Katrina), people are going to ignore the warnings.

 

I also hate how every winter the weather forecasters talk about how cold it is and every summer how they talk about how hot it is, like it's never happened before. Here's a newsflash: It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Accept it and quit acting like it a big surprise every year.

 

BTW, we do get American news and it's so odd to see how they hype stuff. On the British and German news, they're all "It's going to be cold. Stay inside. If you don't, you're an idiot." :D No drama, no hype.

[Farrar]

I said on FB earlier than after all the groaning I've done about how silly everyone is being and how much I've bragged that we have NEVER lost power in ten years of living here (except for scheduled maintenance and a single brown out one summer), I think it would probably serve me right karmically to get completely thrashed by this stupid storm.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

yes...:glare:

 

Of course I'm kinda nervous too because one of these days it might be true. So I'm a bit on edge.

 

stupid storms....

 

This is how I'm feeling right now. I don't normally even stock up for these things, but I do feel like, eventually, our luck will run out!

[Chris in VA]

I went thru Hurricane Andrew. THAT was a "Storm of the Century."

This one? It's because it's going to impact so many people that it's touted as a SotC.

 

I'm trying not to minimize it, because honestly, winds of 50+mph that last for 12 hours is pretty bad, and I know our power is going to go out (and we are the only one on our line, so all the power around us could go back on but we will still have to wait longer). We will have trees and large branches down, I know we will.

 

But it's no Andrew.

 

Thank God.

[Jeannie in NJ]

thanks Robin, it looks like it is going to be just about as bad off shore as here on the island, maybe the winds will be a little bit more . We are used to tidal flooding, actually our house is sloped up and is on quite high ground. When the rest of the island has flooded, our house has not. We drove our cars off shore just in case. It is starting to sound more like a nor'easter which we get all the time so hoping for the best.

[Carrie75]

thanks Robin, it looks like it is going to be just about as bad off shore as here on the island, maybe the winds will be a little bit more . We are used to tidal flooding, actually our house is sloped up and is on quite high ground. When the rest of the island has flooded, our house has not. We drove our cars off shore just in case. It is starting to sound more like a nor'easter which we get all the time so hoping for the best.

 

What do you do with your 8 cats when there is a big storm? Are they all indoor?

[Mom2boys]

I just look at it as motivation to do what needs to be done anyway. Doesn't hurt to clean up the yard and put away summer stuff - this doubles as snow prep. Doesn't hurt to fill up with gas - gonna use it at some point anyway. Doesn't hurt to have a jar or two of peanut butter - ditto. Catching up with laundry is always a good thing. Flashlights - how many do we have, where are they anyway, can we ditch a few now that LED ones use fewer batteries?

 

I'm lucky that we don't have to evacuate, but it never hurts to think through that process - are our important documents all together, etc. Each storm is an opportunity to update general preparation. Worst comes to worst, if there's no storm, we're a bit tidier and more organized than we were before.

 

:iagree:

[Jeannie in NJ]

they are mostly indoor, 7 are in sleeping right now. One got out and hopefully will decide to come in as the storm gets worse (she does this often and then comes in when she is soaking wet).

[PeacefulChaos]

They overreact so much. :rolleyes:

And then people flood the stores and buy out eggs, bread, and milk.

It's stupid.

[merry gardens]

Could this be the Thread Title of the Century!!??!!

[Firestar Academy]

I went thru Hurricane Andrew. THAT was a "Storm of the Century."

This one? It's because it's going to impact so many people that it's touted as a SotC.

 

I'm trying not to minimize it, because honestly, winds of 50+mph that last for 12 hours is pretty bad, and I know our power is going to go out (and we are the only one on our line, so all the power around us could go back on but we will still have to wait longer). We will have trees and large branches down, I know we will.

 

But it's no Andrew.

 

Thank God.

 

I was in andrew, too. at the U of Miami.

 

thanks Robin, it looks like it is going to be just about as bad off shore as here on the island, maybe the winds will be a little bit more . We are used to tidal flooding, actually our house is sloped up and is on quite high ground. When the rest of the island has flooded, our house has not. We drove our cars off shore just in case. It is starting to sound more like a nor'easter which we get all the time so hoping for the best.

 

 

 

They overreact so much. :rolleyes:

And then people flood the stores and buy out eggs, bread, and milk.

It's stupid.

 

you mean, the 'french toast people"

 

Robin

[hillfarm]

I think it is important to differentiate between the weather forecasters and the weather media when it comes to hype. Of course, there are always exceptions, but usually the meterologists are a bit more factual and down to earth while the media mavens try to hype everything up to a fever pitch to boost their ratings. Regardless of whether the hype is warranted or not. Those are the people I'd like to smack.

 

I particularly dislike the media idiots who travel beach to beach, looking for dramatic weather to shoot in. Don't they realize that people no smarter than them are watching the reports and say, "If Jim Cantore can handle this weather, then so can Grandma and I..." Those types of reports are contributing to the problem, not helping solve it.

 

As the wife of a cameraman, I'd also like to point out that when these idiot reporters go after the big storm reports, they are dragging some poor cameraman along with them. Putting someone's son/father/husband in harm's way just so they can get a shot of themselves chained to a post, flying horizontally in gale force winds while trying to shout some incoherent bit of patently obvious weather info at the audience ("The winds and rain are fierce here!"). Big deal. The cameraman is exposed to the same conditions and has to deal with them while also keeping a camera steady. (Can you tell this is a sore spot with me?:glare:)

 

I have nothing but respect for most meterologists who do their best to accurately forecast and announce pending weather. I have almost no respect for most weather reporters who rarely even understand that which they report, and hype it to the utmost for personal gain.

[KungFuPanda]

Personally I am welcoming all the hype of this storm because it beats listening to all the election stuff which I am beyond tired of

. Finally something new to talk about!

 

 

:lol::lol::lol:

 

IKR!?!? If people haven't made up their minds by now, I don't think the ads/discussions/fights will matter.

[LibraryLover]

Well, I put all my yard funriture, moveable cihcken pens etc in the barn. I don't want a lawn chair breaking a window. My dh, bless his soul, put the basket ball hoop thingy in the barn. That thing is tall! lol It's not going anywhere unless the ocean comes to us.

 

Lots of people still have their boats in the harbor. That always surprises me. I guess they have good insurance. It's already pretty gusty out there. I hope it doesn't come to much for most folks.

[Slartibartfast]

I would rather they over exaggerate than watch a storm be much worse than predicted, resulting in needless loss of lives.

 

My hometown was hit by an F5 the meteorologists LOST IT on the air. They completely flipped out, GET OUT OF TOWN!!! THIS IS A KILLER TORNADO! and hundreds of people fled a tornado. That never happens. Usually everyone gets in the closet but that day people left. The storm went straight through neighborhood after neighborhood after neighborhood.

 

Even now it is shown on all those EXTREME TORNADO!! shows but only 30-something people lost their lives that day. They saved hundreds.

 

It is probably more annoying with hurricanes since you have to live with it for several days. But...I grew up not ten miles from one of the top storm labs in the world. I was always very glad they were there.

Edited October 28, 2012 by Sis

[Mandamom]

From page 12 of the below link:

 

f you think the storm is over-hyped and exaggerated, please err on the side of caution. You can call me up on Friday (contact information is at the end of this briefing) and yell at me all you want.

•I will listen to your concerns and comments, but I will tell you in advance, I will be very happy that you are alive & well, no matter how much you yell at me.

•Thanks for listening.

•Gary Szatkowski – National Weather Service Mount Holly

 

This is a quote from the NWS Mt. Holly. http://www.erh.noaa.gov/phi/briefing/packages/current_briefing.pdf

 

I found this amusing. Remember the briefing is serious.

[Carrie12345]

I think it is important to differentiate between the weather forecasters and the weather media when it comes to hype. Of course, there are always exceptions, but usually the meterologists are a bit more factual and down to earth while the media mavens try to hype everything up to a fever pitch to boost their ratings. Regardless of whether the hype is warranted or not. Those are the people I'd like to smack.

 

I particularly dislike the media idiots who travel beach to beach, looking for dramatic weather to shoot in. Don't they realize that people no smarter than them are watching the reports and say, "If Jim Cantore can handle this weather, then so can Grandma and I..." Those types of reports are contributing to the problem, not helping solve it.

 

As the wife of a cameraman, I'd also like to point out that when these idiot reporters go after the big storm reports, they are dragging some poor cameraman along with them. Putting someone's son/father/husband in harm's way just so they can get a shot of themselves chained to a post, flying horizontally in gale force winds while trying to shout some incoherent bit of patently obvious weather info at the audience ("The winds and rain are fierce here!"). Big deal. The cameraman is exposed to the same conditions and has to deal with them while also keeping a camera steady. (Can you tell this is a sore spot with me?:glare:)

 

I have nothing but respect for most meterologists who do their best to accurately forecast and announce pending weather. I have almost no respect for most weather reporters who rarely even understand that which they report, and hype it to the utmost for personal gain.

 

:iagree:

My friend's husband is a meteorologist (not a news weather man) and he's sent out multiple pleas for friends and family to be *over-prepared..

[cathmom]

I agree. Just an aside--have you read Isaac's Storm, by Erik Larson? I found it fascinating.

 

Overall, though, if you're tired of hearing about it, then turn off the TV or find a more intelligent program. There's a huge difference in meteorological reports and info versus the "you must freak out because we are" media hype on certain channels. And for some to poo on it because they went through something bigger?? Seriously?

 

Yes, I have read that book. It was such a tragedy!

[Slartibartfast]

I agree. Just an aside--have you read Isaac's Storm, by Erik Larson? I found it fascinating.

 

I read that as well. It was an absorbing read, such a terrible tragedy. I enjoy many of his non-fiction books.

[brehon]

I agree. Just an aside--have you read Isaac's Storm, by Erik Larson? I found it fascinating

 

Yes, I have read that book. It was such a tragedy!

 

it was even more a tragedy because people from (oh, shoot - TIA happening - where was it) Cuba? another Carribean country? actually telegraphed ahead to Galveston and other coastal cities warning them of how deadly the storm was. The warnings were generally disregarded and to this day no one knows exactly how many people perished.

 

KUT (one of the 2 local public radio stations in Austin) broadcast a fascinating show around the 100th anniversary of the storm (so, 2000 or thereabouts) called "No Tongue Can Tell It" using both archived recordings of survivors and modern research about the storm. I believe it won several awards. Did anyone else get to hear it?

[Caroline]

I agree. Just an aside--have you read Isaac's Storm, by Erik Larson? I found it fascinating.

 

Overall, though, if you're tired of hearing about it, then turn off the TV or find a more intelligent program. There's a huge difference in meteorological reports and info versus the "you must freak out because we are" media hype on certain channels. And for some to poo on it because they went through something bigger?? Seriously?

 

That book is really good.

 

My DH's company is having a meeting in Providence, RI tomorrow and Tuesday. He just flew up there. I am prepared for him to not come back until the weekend, although he is due back Wednesday afternoon.

[Rivka]

I am tired of hearing that each storm will be the "worst storm" ever seen. I mean Hurricane Gloria in 1985 , we were told that our town would no longer exist so I drove 4 hours in the hurricane to get to Philly. no damage. Then hurricane Grace which had voluntary evactuation (I stayed). Last year for Irene, people in our county were told to put a card in their shoes so their bodies could be identified and we left but had absolutly no damage. Now we are being told that Sandy might be the worst storm ever. What to believe? and where to go if we do leave?

 

Hurricane Irene killed 44 Americans, including 6 in NJ and 9 in New York. It did $15 billion worth of damage. It was not an overhyped storm. So many people lost their homes in the flooding that it just makes you sound petulant to complain that you evacuated and your house wasn't damaged.

 

Meteorologists' predictions are not perfect. It would be awesome if they could predict with perfect certainty who needs to evacuate and who will be fine staying in place, so that no one is inconvenienced by evacuating without need, but they can't. If they err on the side of caution, people are inconvenienced. If they err on the side of risk, people die.

[Mom-ninja.]

Think of us in Florida. We go through this every other week during the season. :lol:

 

Seriously, I hate that they overhype these things because it makes people less likely to heed the really necessary warnings. I wish there were a middle ground.

 

:iagree: It's like they've never heard the story "The Boy Who Cried Wolf"

 

 

 

My dh says he now wants to see home insurance along the east coast rise by over 24% in less than one year just because insurance companies take advantage of the hype of super storms, and see if non-florida residents think it's fair.

[TravelingChris]

I think home insurance in the mid Atlantic to NE should be rising due to the storms the last two years. They have had a lot of losses and this one will be worse than Irene.