All: Florence didn't just slow down, it dang near stopped & stood still. It poured wind and especially rain down on where my son lives in Newport, NC (just down the street from the National Weather Service outpost and about 20 minutes north of Morehead City, NC) Thursday, Friday, Saturday into today, Sunday. Rainfall records have already been broken. I-95 and I-40 are both closed. Mandatory evacuations on the coast, and now along the Lumber River. The governor has asked motorists to drive around NC to get north/south on the eastern seaboard.
Seventeen (17) confirmed deaths in NC and SC for everything from carbon monoxide poisoning and electrocution from generators, to trees falling on cars and houses, one murder/suicide, one guy fell trying to pack up to evacuate, and one guy died trying to check on his hunting dogs, most people were washed off the road trying to use roads covered with water.
Storm is now moving toward Charlotte; Wayne & Marty are probably feeling its effects now. We're still getting rain where we are (between Raleigh and the coast), but the rivers won't crest until the middle of next week: record levels expected in that department too. A storm doesn't need to be a Category 4 or 5 (or 3 or 2) to do a lot of damage.
Personally, I'm tired of being cooped up in the house, but I'm staying off the roads to let the emergency crews get through. I haven't lost power, but I've lost my patience with the advertisements on television. Could use the time to clean the house, but I'm too lazy, I suppose.
Its been the mother of all storms, as far as I'm concerned. I sure it could have been worse, but it has been plenty bad so far. I may not be able to make it in to work until next weekend.
