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Monday, October 29, 2012

Hurricane Sandy

Hello from a very wet and windy DC!

Hurricane Sandy is expected to hit land tonight and we currently experiencing a lot of wind and rain and we are told it's going to get even stronger soon.

For anyone in the Mid-Atlantic to NorthEastern Area, please make sure that you are inside and listening to your local authorities!

The Mid-Atlantic and NorthEastern States mostly affected by the hurricane include: Washington, DC; Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.  Part of of South Carolina and North Carolina were also affected as the hurricane passed them going up the coast.

For those not familiar with hurricanes, please keep in mind that it is basically a really bad storm.  So, instead of a quick disaster- like a tornado or an earthquake- this is something that lasts for a long time and we usually know in advance that it is coming.  This is great because local governments can give their people plenty of warning time- it's not so good because everything look calm for a LONG time and when the weather is bad, it's normally too late to plan.

If you live on the coast of the ocean- the waves gets very large and flood the area.  Kinda' like a slow tsunami may be the best way to describe it.  If they tell you to leave your home, hotel, etc- LEAVE!  They can direct you to government and Red Cross shelters and other services.  After a certain point, roads WILL close and power WILL be cut- so get out while you can.

If you are more inland- like I am in Northern Virginia- listen to your local government and also what other people say things have been like in the past.  Alexandria, for example, often floods and so many people had to get sandbags to help keep the water out.  Many parts of our area also has old trees and power lines above ground- so normal storms will knock out power!  Earlier this year- at the end of June- we had a very large, unexpected storm, and power was out in some areas for a week!  Thankfully, we know this storm is coming though, so hopefully power won't be out so long.

So- if you currently in our area of the country- STAY INSIDE and listen to your local government representatives.  Some good links are:

FEMA
Weather.com
Google Crisis Maps
Fairfax County Blog

Certainly, prepare to be inside for about the next 2 days and be prepared to be without power and heat.  We are supposed to get cold, so make sure you have blankets and warm clothing!  Also, government officials recommend that you keep a gallon of water (3.8 liters) per person, per day for drinking and other uses.

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Should I be worried about visiting Washington, DC/New York City for other storms like this?

In short- no.  These storms do come up from time to time, but are much more unusual than these storms in places like Florida and other southern states.  And even in those places, they know about these storms in advance and if you HAD to change your plans, you probably would have time to do so.

While the estimates in damage are large, these cities are used to fixing up and moving on.  So, I expect to be back to work about a day after the storm and certainly the tourist areas will probably be up and running as well.  In NYC, some of the areas in the lower parts of the city- by the water- may take longer to come back, but likewise, I expect it to be pretty quick!


So- good luck to everyone and listen to your local officals!


Saturday, October 20, 2012

My weekend: Skyline Drive at Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

It's Autumn (fall) in Virginia!  And this year, we have been sliding slowly into fall which has given us beautiful trees!  So, this weekend, we packed up the car and drove to Shenandoah National Park to drive along Skyline Drive.

Shenandoah National Park is a very large park of wilderness along the Appalachian Mountains, which go from Alabama in the South to Canada (Newfoundland) in the North.  Many people try to hike along the whole thing- I think it takes 2-3 months!

At this time of the year, the Park is very busy because of the beautiful wilderness it offers!  In particular, many people drive along Skyline Drive- a road that winds its way along the tops of the mountains to give visitors the best view.

Below are some pictures of our trip I would like to share.  Enjoy!