Thread: Storm on the American East Coast

I just read about the terrible storm which killed 18 people and caused a power outage that has lasted for 2 days already. One of the states affected is Maryland where Rockzmom lives. If Rockzmom or anyone else affected reads this, hope you are ok, and please tell us what the situaition is like in your area!

I understand it's going to be a rough year. I have family on the East coast and when I spoke to them I got the impression that the people have been seeing this coming a bit this year and have been getting prepared for this. Though there is only so much distance that can be covered by preparation. Batten down the hatches!

Nothing in Atlanta. It was sunny and 100F degrees last weekend.

We had some very big wind in Chapel Hill - it blew the roof off a neighbor's toolshed and blew down some large branches in my yard. Brief power outage, like 5 minutes. With the 100+ degree heat, I'm glad the air conditioners are working here.

I haven't posted for awhile, but I do keep an eye on this forum!

I was in the Virginia mountains when that storm hit - driving with my granddaughter and 3 girls coming to stay for a sleepover. I thought it was a local squall, but an awful one. After dodging 2 downed trees and almost being hit by a large branch blown across the road, we were stopped by a tree stretched from fence to fence across the road, no way to drive around.

We turned around and stayed with my cousins until the storm calmed a bit, although, of course, no power. Luckily, road crews were already at work, and the road was quickly cleared. We went to our mountain cabin (dacha!!), with the girls clamoring for chips and dip, and candles. Still no power the next morning, but at least the telephone lines were working. We found out that over one million people were out of power, and would be for at least 4-10 days, and the "local storm" stretched from Kentucky to Pennsylvania!

I just found this website about Maryland, where Rockzmom lives, and there are some parts of Maryland which still don't have power:
Current Outages

The storm appears to be the result of dramatic temperature changes. The day before the storm, the night was chilly: 42 degrees F (5.6 C), and that day we hit 95 degrees F (35 C). We should have expected a storm, but, good grief, what a storm!!

I had to return to Florida on Sunday. The main roads were cleared - a heroic job, if you ask me - since, for 60 miles, it looked like tornado damage - I've never seen so many trees twisted and fallen. It is amazing that so few people were injured and, overall, how few homes were damaged!

Here's hoping Rockzmom is ok, and checks in soon!

Hello!!!! Yes, I now have power back and only because I live on a corner house and apparently our power is tied to the cross street and not my actual street. My street still does not have power!! We were even without cell phone coverage for a number of days as well so I didn't have internet access that way either and with little battery power, I didn't want to use the cell to access the Internet for surfing anyway.

The high school where the girls are taking a summer class is still without power so classes have been cancelled for a third day.

Our Congressman's own office, only got power back on Tuesday afternoon. Even he didn't rank.

Our local post office is still closed as well.

All of the local fireworks (I believe 6 areas) for last night's Fourth of July celebration were cancelled. They said it was so they could have all of the resources focused on restoring the power; however, I believe it was probably a safety issue as well.

It really is amazing how bad it has been here. Major roads, as in six lane divided roads, were shut down due to trees and power lines/pole all over them and the poles also had their transformers on them too and it creates a domino effect. It seems as if every other side road is blocked by a tree being down. Of the 800 or so traffic lights in our county, over 500 went out so that was another major issue. Additionally, almost all of the major the water supply pumps were also hit so we had to conserve water until Monday. Cash became king as bank ATMs were not working and the stores that were open could not take credit cards. Even yesterday I was at a store that had just reopened and they had a sign saying cash only. Gas became a premium as soon gas stations ran out and a number of gas stations were closed as they didn't have power. The few hotels that were open the first couple of nights and had rooms, were charging as much as $600 per night. Maryland does not have a price gouging law.

The worst part has been the heat. It has been in the high 90s and low 100s the entire time. Tomorrow it it supposed to be over 100 again. The house just becomes an oven. On Sunday we went to the University of Maryland to escape the heat. Our county did open what they call "cooling centers" places you can go to escape the heat, but you have to bring all your own stuff and you are with a whole bunch of other people and usually screaming ones at that. they also allowed you to take your pet to the local shelter once it got power back as long as you had all your records for shots for it.

Generators have been in high use. Mainly to run A/C or ceiling fans and cell phones as most people here no longer have hard wire landlines.

My batter powered radio sure came in handy and so did the battery power cell phone charger, flashlights, and coolers!!

Oh and yes, heat like this does create a MAJOR migraine as by the third day, I believe I didn't drink enough water and the temperature in the house was about 95!!

Thanks for caring about me... And Winifred, I'm glad you and your granddaughter and her friends are all okay. You too Chaika!

Good to hear you are ok!!!

Interesting to hear what it's been like with no electricity. Almost like a dystopia novel!

What are people saying, do they think this is abnormal, or just something you have to live with, in that part of the world?

It sounds terrible to me, I have never experienced anything remotely like it!

The storm has been designated a "derecho." Great vocabulary word, most English-speakers don't know it
It's basically a violent, horizontal windstorm with hurricane strength winds. Here is Wikipedia on one: Derecho - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The last time power here went out for any amount of time was in 97 when Hurricane Fran came to Chapel Hill and took out a lot of trees. Last week's storm was nothing in comparison.

Missed me. Got my brother in Virginia / DC; no power for a couple days, brutal heat.

Some Motel Guests were from that area. They left before the storm and had a lovely time not worrying on the beach. Only hit 90° a few days so far this summer. Air Conditioning at work but not at home yet.

I have a Houseboy that is a returning J-1 "kid" from Russia. He was telling the 2 new J-1 maids about hurricanes. He's been here for 2 watches/warnings but never the real thing. I hope we're spared this year too.