Thanks for the well wishes. We have located the boat in a protected cove on a tributary of a river, and it is (hopefully) well secured. Now we just hold our breath until it all clears and we can see. We are home near Raleigh now, the gas lines in our little town at 9PM were crazy!! We should be fine waiting it out here.

Oops, I'm out of wine. Ruh-roh!!

Keeping all in the path in my prayers

I am pretty far Inland (close to Greenville, SC). The recent models have me a bit worried.

The more recent models show it shifted again and is heading more towards SC. Please be safe Iris. I'm keeping everyone in those areas in my prayers.

The weather channel is now calling it the "storm of a lifetime".

I just saw "Biblical" in reference to the rain.

Thinking of those in the path of this storm and pray they, their loved ones and their homes remain safe and secure

I am in the mountains of NC and really don't know what to expect. Just wait and see, I guess. I have made some preparations and will catch some water in case the power goes off. My niece lives near the coast and is arriving here sometime today to stay with relatives. Her husband had to stay for emergency response.

Having been through a "biblical" hurricane, I am praying for everyone. Please please don't do what we did and stay and have to hope someone can rescue you before you drown! Believe me I wanted to leave but they were telling us to stay it wasn't going to hit us! If they are telling you to go, get the hell out of there! You can live through losing everything you own. Don't chance losing your loved ones and yourself!

Amen Raven

Great advise Raven!

My niece and her family are going to get a direct hit. They are literally in the bullseye. They have evacuated to a friend,s house but can’t go far since they are doctors and must stay near the hospital. Their son took one dog and cat back to his fraternity house at college. They boarded up their house. I hope it is still standing after this. They live a few blocks from the beach.

Just saw on the news that they have measured 80 ft waves already in the ocean around the storm. Thinking about an 80 foot water wall surge is terrifying.

Raven, hearing about any hurricane must bring so many bad memories back to you. I am so sorry for that.

Hoping everyone stays safe!

Grandson stationed st Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC was allowed to evacuate today and is en route to his Fiancee in PA.

It makes me so worried about the people that will be so terribly affected. You know I just don't want anyone else to feel what we felt. No one deserves these kinds of tragedies.

I hated that Sahara sand but it was preventing the storms.

It is frightening.

I don't know what the Sahara sand comment refers to but a lot of money and effort is spent by the federal government to understand and predict major storm tracks. As a result, there's almost always plenty of time for everyone potentially affected to evacuate inland. I've never understood why anyone would even consider remaining in such areas, much less to actually stay as it seems some number do.

Perhaps it's a demonstration of the quasi-seriousness of the Darwin Awards?

Here in the hurricane area we know that the big blasts of the Sahara sand has been preventing hurricanes from forming earlier in this hurricane season. It has been on all the news in the areas that are in the hurricane zones.

Plenty of information readily available.

https://www.google.com/search?q=saharan+dust+prevents+hurricanes&oq=Sahara+dust+preve&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0.14100j0j8&client=tablet-android-asus-tpin&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

From Nasa a simplified explanation.

We think a dust storm has three main components that can suppress a hurricane,” Dunion continued. “One, it’s got super-dry air. Hurricanes don’t like dry air in the middle parts of the atmosphere, and that’s exactly what the Saharan Air Layer has. A Saharan dust storm also has a very strong surge of air embedded within it, called the mid-level easterly jet, that can rip a storm apart that’s trying to develop. We call that vertical wind shear. And then the third piece is all this dust.”

https://earthdata.nasa.gov/user-resources/sensing-our-planet/saharan-dust-versus-atlantic-hurricanes

We have had some very large Sahara sand storms in the past months hitting here.

I have no idea whether people are leaving or staying in eastern NC/SC. Lots are leaving, but some are no doubt stubborn. But my concern is for the areas that flood (we won't in our immediate area.) Lots of people seem to think "oh, sob, those rich people on the barrier islands will lose their fancy vacation houses. Too bad." But this flooding will impact people just like it did in Texas. There are millions of normal, average people in normal, average houses. They are 100 miles or more from the coast, but the rivers they live near will flood, They will lose their homes, and will have nowhere to go. Most are not wealthy, and may have no means to start over.

I know it's coming, it's happened before. And it makes me so sad.

As someone that has been through both major and minor hurricanes ONLY those under mandatory evacuation the immediate coastal and barrier islands need to evacuate. Evacuating other areas except for medical reasons is inconsiderate because it clogs up the roads stopping those that legitimately need to get away.

Yes, riding out a hurricane is not fun and not having power is inconvenient but evacuating means hours to days of sitting in traffic. It would be much wiser to build homes that are structured to withstand storms and have a generator.

Do realize that the media greatly over-sensationalizes for their ratings. The problem with that is when they predict that "the sky is falling" and nothing happens people start to tune them out. Then when a real danger is coming it gets ignored. I've seen it happen too many times.

Thank goodness it has dropped to a category 2. All the hopes and prayers are continuing, maybe we can get it to just fizzle out!

Unfortunately a cat 2 will still be dangerous and damaging.

While the storm has been downgraded, I believe the predicted heavy rainfall that will accompany it as it moves inland is of great concern. Heavy flooding can be just as devastating as high winds or storm surges and can affect areas that may not see any other direct effects of the hurricane.

To say that just building houses that will withstand a storm and having a generator is being somewhat shortsighted IMO. Unless built on stilts, flooding can happen to any storm-proof residence and having a generator is not going to help when most of your home is underwater!! Ditto with admonitions about not evacuating unless along the immediate coastline. Flooding may not be limited to just coastal areas, depending on how long the storm stalls over land before petering out, and flash flooding doesn't give one much time to prepare and get out. Even interior areas bordering rivers, etc. or that are low lying could be in great jeopardy! Personally, if I lived in such a location, I wouldn't bother for a formalized or mandatory evacuation notice but secure my property, gather my valuables and get the heck out of Dodge!!

Gardengirl, we can vamoose together. I wouldn't give it a second thought. The "inconsiderate" comment above seems odd. As for over-dramatization, I'm not sure where the exaggeration is in the media when every time there's one of these events there are rescues from boats in normally dry areas and by helicopter, of people who would appear to have shown poor judgement.

The Sahara sand thing is interesting, new info for me. Thanks. There may be SOME information available but this story has not been covered in the national press to any extent. An article I read says the phenomenon is intermittent and also leads to poor air quality. I know there's not a choice once one drops anchor in a particular region but along with a neighborhood flood risk and looking for higher ground in such areas, that's another something to consider when choosing where to be. Something similar but different in my area is that while we have no hurricanes or tropical storms, those who are lucky enough to have oceanfront property also can have some risk to storm wave damage when normal winter rainstorms are accompanied by high winds that can stir up wave action. .Depending upon where they are and how the beach is situated.

Good luck to all.

An article on the subject from the NY Times. Those staying behind wouldn't seem to represent the brightest bulbs in their communities.

Hurricane holdouts

Yes, it is absolutely inconsiderate (and in some cases deadly) to plug up the only escape route that people under mandatory evacuation have. Building homes to better standards does save lives and allow more people to shelter in place. I guess only people that have lived in hurricane prone areas understand.

Raye, you don't seem to understand or accept that "building homes to better standards" does nothing to prevent against flood damage. Or that evacuating from areas that could be subject to heavy flooding is just as justified as those exposed to the brunt of the storm as it hits the coastal areas. Sheltering in place is not a very pleasant or even safe option when you are faced with a flooded house for weeks on end. Just look at the aftermath of Katrina or more recently, the impact of Harvey on vast portions of Texas that never felt the immediate impact of that hurricane this spring, other than buckets of rain!

Yes, people have died in hurricane evacuations here's an real life example

As an estimated 2.5 – 3.7 million people evacuated the Texas coastline, a significant heat wave
affected the region. The combination of severe gridlock and excessive
heat led to between 90 and 118 deaths even before the storm arrived. Reports from the Houston Chronicle indicated 107 evacuation-related fatalities.

Garden - if you are in a location that is that close to the landfall that you will flood you WILL be under mandatory evacuation. I'm advocating making it possible for those in the mandatory evacuation zones or for medical necessity to be able to leave by those that aren't to sheltering in place and not clog up evacuation routes.

I knew one of those that died during that evacuation. The inconvenience of being without power for several days and listening to high winds for four or five hours is a lot easier than mourning a friend that died due to others lack of compassion for those that were legitimately on the road.

I wonder if ravencajun or Marilyn were under mandatory evacuation orders when they were flooded out by Harvey. It seems they were pretty inconvenienced, losing their homes and all.

It is a lovely idea to build homes to better standards. But there are thousands and thousands of homes in NC that already exist, and have for a very long time. Are we supposed to push those over and start again? And they aren't in coastal areas, some are 100 miles inland. I know, don't live in flood prone areas. But unfortunately, that's where towns and cities were built, next to rivers.

Absolutely wrong! I nearly drowned in Harvey because we were strictly instructed to shelter in place! We lost everything we own. Our house was under water to the roof both vehicles under water and the rv too. Having been born and raised in Louisiana I have real life experience with many hurricanes. When I was 3 years old hurricane Audrey, one of the most deadly hurricanes in history, took the top story of the house we were in.

Water comes in from the surges, up to the rivers and canals and bayous, far inland from the land fall. Flooding massive areas. So should these people just stay there and drown? Much more is affected than the land fall area.

By the way I live no where near the coastline. I am very much north of the Houston area.

Improvements are badly needed in better and more evacuation routes. And advanced provisions for gas stations on the evacuation routes.

There are other reasons to evacuate. People who need to be close to a hospital. People who need electricity to keep their medical equipment running or someone whose health really can't handle the hot, humid temperatures after the air conditioner goes out. Some of the people have flooded before and it's simply better not to have to be evacuated again.

Apparently, I'm on some of the higher ground for the area. We couldn't go more than 2-3 miles in any direction because of the flooding. Some poor lady fell in her house. She had to be angel-flighted out of the neighborhood to get her to the hospital. I noticed that a nearby church was torn down last month. I think it had flooded during the tax day flood and the other big flood that happened a year or two earlier.

I just saw a guy on the news who was riding it out on his boat! I am sorry but when they give a mandatory evacuation, I don't have much sympathy for them.

Please stay safe...possessions can be replaced but lives can not!

We are about 2-3 hours inland and are getting concerned. The guy on the radio said that when Matthew blew through 26 people died - only 3 of those were on the coast; the rest were significantly inland due to people thinking they were safe. Just yesterday I noticed a local shopping center boarding up their windows. In the 24 years we have been here I have NEVER seen them boarding up windows...that's how much uncertainty there is about this storm. Everyone stay safe!

This such confusion, you have no sympathy for someone in a mandatory evacuation not leaving but many here won't allow those in the mandatory area to leave by filling up the roads??? I included anyone with medical reasons for leaving as part of the mandatory group. And I wonder why some people don't pull over and allow emergency vehicles to pass...

Some people stay because they live paycheck to paycheck and don't have money for extended stays in hotels and don't have family they can stay with. Read where a nurse stayed in an area that was supposed to be hit because she was expected to be there for work. Her family stayed too because they didn't want to leave her. I'm sure there are hundreds of emergency/healthcare workers in the same boat. When any kind of bad weather happens you are expected to show up work no matter what.

Anyone that thinks sheltering in place is the answer has not paid attention to the lives that have been lost by doing so. From a comment above one of the people probably lost a loved one because of the roads being clogged during an evacuation. They forget all the ones that have died because they stayed in place. Large amounts of water in low lying areas any where in the world can be subject to deep flooding. If people know that they are in danger they should evacuate even if as seen in New Orleans the people were told there was no need. Well we all saw that there was a need. But the shelter in place idea killed so many including in a hospital that could not get patients upstairs when the water rose.

Rajin- in a wheelchair you would qualify to me as leaving for medical necessity. As one with no medical needs I have been through multiple hurricanes and I lived less than twenty miles from the mandatory evacuation zones and was inconvenienced but fine. In all the hurricanes I've been through there were no deaths outside of the immediate coast.

Here's the problem - there is never enough road capacity for those under mandatory evacuation & medical needs to evacuate; those alone cause major backups on the roads. When you add in additional people then it becomes physically impossible for those in the mandatory area to get on the road. They are the ones that are assumed to be in the most risk but when the roads have greater than 48 hours of backup how can they leave?

(((Raven))) I understand. Your PTSD is real. It's a life experience you relive this time every year. ((hugs to you))

Feeling for you Raven........hang in there.

And so,now its Friday...besides bickering about whether someone stayed or not, does anyone have any info on whats going on regarding this storm today?

It officially came ashore about 7:15 this morning, near Wilmington as a Category 1. Moving very slowly, like 5 mph. Dumping rain on the coast. The town of New Bern seems to be hardest hit. It's about 25 miles inland, but between two rivers. The downtown area is under 10' of water and many people are in attics or rooftops needing rescue. The "cajun navy" (civilians with boats) has jumped in to help officials get people out.

Edit: one of the small towns close to Wilmington is forecast to get 19" of rain between today and Sunday. 100% chance of rain at least as far inland as Raleigh through Monday morning. I haven't looked at forecasts farther west.

((((raven)))))

Florence is slow and not moving like Harvey did. I saw one place had gotten 20" of rain already. That's scary. I hope this storm hurries up and gets out of there.

The governor's news conference just added predictions of isolated areas up to 40" of rain. Rivers will take 3-7 days to crest.

And now 3 are confirmed dead. Two are a mother and infant killed by a tree falling in their home, father injured. And around 150 waiting to be rescued with 200 already rescued. That is just in one area. Why didn’t these people heed the warnings and get out?

Yes, I know some are afraid they can’t afford it. Well, would you rather be safe and secure, and in a shelter or.... I just don’t get it.