pre-hurricane thoughts

October 5, 2016

We moved to Miami Beach 3 years ago, in August of 2013.  Hurricane Matthew is the first real threat to the area since then, and . . . I’m nervous!  I have never been in a hurricane.  There’s something especially daunting about the constant tracking of a huge weather formation slowly and relentlessly headed your way that I think adds to the hysteria — even more than the impact of a big snowstorm up north.

Plus, 100+ mph winds sound terrifying.

I *think* my office has already decided to close tomorrow (I live in the blue region on the map technically still expected to have more tropical-storm-like conditions, but work is at the very bottom of the red part = hurricane warning).  This is a good thing, because being away from the kids (and driving 25+ miles north) is absolutely not something I want to be doing in the midst of this storm.  One of my friends (who lives north) is fleeing to Tampa.  Everyone is getting gas and nonperishable groceries.  We have water and canned goods, though nowhere near the extensive “hurricane supply kit” that is recommended.

I am overdue to write a catch-up type post, but I can’t think of much else right now!  I am about to head out and run this morning because hey — it may be a while before I can go out again, depending on how we are hit.  
Here’s to hoping that it’s not so bad, and that we get to spend a cozy day at home *with* electricity and food and family.  On the up-side, neither Josh nor I are on call.  
Wish us luck!  I will update again in a day or so IF power allows . . .

5 Comments

  • Reply Chelsea March 10, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    Sending you cool, dry, electrified thoughts. I’d imagine that Hurricane Andrew still looms large in the collective memory in Miami. One bit of hurricane advice that you *may* not have heard: If you have bulky but waterproof things in your yard like outdoor furniture that are hard to store, you can actually sink them in your pool to keep them from being blown around. We are lucky here in Central Florida. There has only been one hurricane in my lifetime – Charley in 2004 – and even though it was only a Cat 1, that was more than enough for me! I’m guessing we will have a very rainy Friday up here but hopefully not much more.

    Oh – also, be careful of cars under trees. Even if it’s not windy, the ground can become so saturated with rain that they fall over! I have seen it happen.

  • Reply Sheryl March 10, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    I don’t comment often– but just wanted to say, stay safe! Sending you safe thoughts from Toronto!

  • Reply Ana March 10, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    Sending safe thoughts! I’m glad at least you can all be together. I’ve been in several hurricane warnings and it is SO nerve-wracking. When they close work you know its serious! I’ll be thinking about you guys!

  • Reply Krista March 10, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    With the typhoons in Japan we learned that a lot of damage can come from stuff that isn’t secure. If you see your neighbors haven’t put their trash cans away or flipped their trampolines, don’t be afraid to remind them! We lived in concrete bunkers there (aesthetics are not a priority, but it pays off when 100 mph winds roll through), so the storms were actually kind of fun. We never lost power either…unfortunately that rarely seems to be the case in the U.S. We had one close tropical storm when we lived in Key West and the power company actually kept a really updated twitter account, with tweets re: outages, repair status, etc.Maybe they do the same where you are? It was helpful and made me feel a little better to know what was going on. Good luck and stay safe!

  • Reply Mel March 10, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    Stay safe!

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