Sunday, October 28, 2012

Hurricane Sandy - Sunday, October 28th

UPDATE: 10:20 PM - We are at peak high tide this evening and the water is half way up the driveway.  The sump pumps have started pumping ground water seeping into the sump wells as a result of more than a day of constant raining.   The water in the backyard is up to the top of the bank seen in the bottom most photo of our home taken from across the creek this morning.  So far the power remains on.

As the entire northeastern part of the country braces for the onslaught of Hurricane Sandy those of us in the mid-Atlantic states are already feeling the effects.  As always seems to be the case, the Outer Banks of North Carolina - a favor surf destination for me - is getting socked.  The image above is the Frisco Pier on Hatteras Island meeting a violent end this morning.  Further north in Hampton Roads, the wind, rain and tides are building even as Sandy remains several hundred miles away.  This morning's high tide was considerably higher than normal and as the images below indicate nearly reached the top of the bank of the tidal creek behind our home and started to flood Chesapeake Avenue in front of our home (our neighbors across the street had their driveway go under water.  

Tonight's high tide should be higher and the morning high tide tomorrow around 8:00 - 9:00 AM depending where one is in Hampton Roads will be higher yet.  Meanwhile, currently Surfline.com is predicting up to 12 foot waves at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront (check it out to see the live cam).   Tomorrow's waves should be even bigger.  In terms of preparations, the boyfriend and I have moved both of our Mercedes Benz to higher ground and later this evening the SUV will be parked on higher ground up the street.  We've put the flood doors in place for the garage and the sliding glass doors to the deck and patio and have them positioned outside the other doors at the ready.  We are rolling up all of the first floor carpets and carrying them upstairs.  Unlike past serious storms, we are not moving furniture upstairs since the whole house generator and three large industrial sump pumps (which kick on automatically if water accumulates) should keep any water that gets in the house from accumulating.   

Given the likely significant flooding in flood prone the Ghent area of Norfolk where my office is located tomorrow morning at high tide, I suspect the law firm will be closed at least in the morning, if not all day.   
Neighbor's Drive Way
Creek Water Coming up Storm Drain
Creek at morning high tide
High tide this morning

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Fingers crossed! I'll be sequestered in the VDEM EOC for at least 12 hours tomorrow, and maybe longer depending on what my work does (off tomorrow, no employees report, I suspect Tuesday will be the same).

Stay safe, Mike!
Peace <3
Jay