Here we go

While Hurricane Wilma is down there tearing up Florida, we’re already being advised to start battening down our hatches. Wilma’s going to zoom up along the coast, absorb Alpha (tropical storm that didn’t amount to much), and then generously lend her energy to the nor’easter that is currently forming off the coast, somewhere to the south of us. By tomorrow afternoon, we’ll be hoping that the roof shingles stay on. There’s gonna be a big blow and a ton more rain.

Last night the lad and I hauled a week’s supply of wood into the house. I’m not sure that my wood piles can deal with that much wind and rain without the tarps ripping off and the wood getting water logged. It’ll take a few rainless days for it to dry out. So, at least we’ll have dry wood in the interim.

The current weather advisory:

HIGH WIND WARNING

DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND VERY LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING.

A COASTAL STORM IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC COAST THIS EVENING, THEN INTENSIFY SIGNIFICANTLY AS IT TAPS MOISTURE AND ENERGY FROM HURRICANE WILMA WHICH IS EXPECTED TO PASS WELL SOUTHEAST OF THE REGION. THE RESULT WILL BE A PERIOD OF VERY STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TUESDAY.

THIS STORM SYSTEM MAY PRODUCE SIMILAR WIND AND WAVE CONDITIONS TO THAT EXPERIENCED DURING THE JANUARY 2005 BLIZZARD, WHERE WINDS GUSTED TO NEAR 70 MPH.

EASTERN ESSEX MA-SUFFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-BARNSTABLE MA-DUKES MA-NANTUCKET MA-BLOCK ISLAND RI-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF GLOUCESTER, BOSTON, QUINCY, PLYMOUTH, CHATHAM, FALMOUTH, PROVINCETOWN, VINEYARD HAVEN, NANTUCKET, BLOCK ISLAND

550 AM EDT MON OCT 24 2005...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 6 PM EDT TUESDAY...NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE ALONG THE COAST VERY LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE WELL INTO TUESDAY. SUSTAINED NORTHEAST WINDS OF NEARLY 40 MPH ARE FORECAST FOR A TIME TUESDAY WITH SCATTERED GUSTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR ALONG THE SOUTH COAST EARLY TUESDAY MORNING, EASING TUESDAY AFTERNOON. MEANWHILE THE STRONGEST WIND IS NOT LIKELY TO REACH BOSTON AND THE NORTH SHORE TIL MIDDAY TUESDAY BUT LINGER THERE THROUGH THE TUESDAY EVENING COMMUTE. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR...WITH GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AT ANY TIME. DAMAGE TO TREES, POWER LINES, AND PROPERTY ARE POSSIBLE WITH WIND OF THIS MAGNITUDE.

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At least this storm won’t give us snow. Although it would probably be better if it did. We’ve had so much rain this past month that I don’t think we can handle much more. Just to remind myself of what might be in store for us, I went back and read over my post for the Blizzard of 2005. I guess I didn’t sound too hysterical.

The definition of a nor’easter—since they’ll probably be mentioned quite often for the rest of the winter: A cyclonic storm occurring off the east coast of North America. These winter weather events are notorious for producing heavy snow, rain, and tremendous waves that crash onto Atlantic beaches, often causing beach erosion and structural damage. Wind gusts associated with these storms can exceed hurricane force in intensity. A nor’easter gets its name from the continuously strong northeasterly winds blowing in from the ocean ahead of the storm and over the coastal areas.