# Hold onto your butts Mid-Atlantic Dopers. Here comes Isabel!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 14, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594 "2003-09-14T17:53:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/81 "2003-09-18T12:57:17Z")
Meant to add: right now, there’s not much happening here in Chesapeake Beach. The winds this morning have been more like pleasant breezes, and there’s only been a brief sprinkling of rain. If the government wants to give me a free holiday today, I’m not complaining. Maybe it’ll get worse later, but it _was_ a lot worse during Floyd (driving was pretty risky that day), and all we got was unscheduled leave. Guess this one makes up for that! ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/82 "2003-09-18T13:04:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AnnaLucretia \* > \*\*I’m stuck in the house for 2 days with a 5-year-old boy. If the tv goes out, I’m doomed… \*\* I’m stuck in the house with a 15-year-old and a 7-year-old. They’re both whining already and it’s only 9:15. We’re making a quick run to Blockbuster to stock up. I just hold the electricity stays on… ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/83 "2003-09-18T13:18:22Z")
Nothing here yet, just gloomy dark skies and an autumnal chill in the air. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/84 "2003-09-18T13:22:32Z")
I know we’re in the clear here but there are some funky looking clouds in the sky. I think I finally know what a “mare’s tail” cloud looks like. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/85 "2003-09-18T13:26:29Z")
Can’t see any clouds here. It’s just overcast, like a typical fall day. There’s not a chill to the winter, but a nip to the air\*. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/86 "2003-09-18T13:27:31Z")
Oops … \*song lyric. ---
**Author:** ![juliuslizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dec6dc/32.png) [@juliuslizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/juliuslizard)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/87 "2003-09-18T13:52:55Z")
I can feel it coming- it’s in my bones… it’s strangely chilly outside and my fish are acting funny! I’m excited, this will be fun. I love storms! ---
**Author:** ![juliuslizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dec6dc/32.png) [@juliuslizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/juliuslizard)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/88 "2003-09-18T13:55:01Z")
p.s. from the other direction she was caught in my eye ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/89 "2003-09-18T13:58:03Z")
I interviewed for a job yesterday and she was going to check all my references – from D.C. – today and tomorrow. Looks like I may not be getting that job offer till next week. ☹ From all of us down here in the more regular path of storms to all of you in Isabel’s path, stay safe and dry!! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/90 "2003-09-18T14:01:52Z")
Well, **julius** , when it comes to hurricanes, sometimes we learn the hard way, but we might as well try, might as well try. ---
**Author:** ![Marine\_One](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marine_one/32/3461_2.png) [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/91 "2003-09-18T14:42:26Z")
When I watch the live shots of news persons in raincoats giving weather reports in 60 mph winds, I’m always afraid a 2 x 4 will shoot right thru their heads or stomach and impale them. On live TV. Or a live wire falls and barbecues them on the spot. ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/92 "2003-09-18T15:10:57Z")
Richmond is now rainy and windy…not horribly windy yet, but there have been a few gusts. The eye is supposedly on track to go right over Richmond, so we’ve been moving things inside and keeping our fingers crossed. When **Tark** (my hubman) gets home he’s going to move in the gas grill and we’re going to bungee the lawn furniture to the fence. Going by past experience wherein if a squirrel spits in the wrong place we lose power, I figure we should be in darkness by 6:00. I’ve got my fingers crossed, but… I’ve got an 8-year-old, a 5-year-old and a 4-year-old here today. All schools and many businesses are closed…but a brand new mall is going ahead and having its first day of business today. All of the local stores are pretty much sold out of milk, bread, eggs, and D-batteries. TPTB at **Tark’s** work think it’s going to be just like a regular thunderstorm. Their collective intelligence has been discussed at length, and right now I think the level agreed upon is “sociopathic marmot.” ---
**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/93 "2003-09-18T15:16:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BiblioCat \* > **And remember, please be kind to the store clerks today… after all, they’ve been up all night marking up the price of bottled water and batteries.** Yeah, but only after we’ve hoarded enough for ourselves. 😉 \*\*\*Very \*\*\*windy here. \*\*\*Very \*\*\*rainy here. I like storms too. I just refer them to last _less_ than eight or ten hours. The wind rattling the rafters gets a bit nerve-wracking after a while. And rain for that long usually results in foods. See, **RTF** I don’t remember Floyd being this windy - mostly just sh\*tloads of rain. Dammit - the lights just started flickering… I’ll hang around the Dope as long as I’ve got power & cable modem running… ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/94 "2003-09-18T15:42:22Z")
Looking at Virginia Beach on TV right now, they’re saying landfall at Hatteras in about 10 minutes and it looks ugly out there, even in Virginia. Sustained winds on the Outer Banks are at 85+ mph with gusts up to 100. Tropical storm force winds are being measured all the way up to Long Island. This thing is just going to be long, wet and ugly. Blech. I hope all the coastal Dopers have gotten themselves to safe ground. I’ll be keeping good thoughts for you all. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/95 "2003-09-18T15:46:17Z")
Safe at home now. Blustery and spitting rain 60 miles NW of Washington DC. I’ll post some pix as we take them. Maybe, if Opal is feeling magnanimous, she’ll build us a Hurricane Pix Page. > [@](#): > > From _Jacob’s Ladderr_ by Rush > > The clouds prepare for battle > In the dark and gloomy silence > Bruised and sullen stormclouds > Have the light of day obscured > Looming low and ominous > In twilight premature > Thunderheads and rumbling > In a distant overture… And I’ve got a better one if you all ask nicely… ---
**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/96 "2003-09-18T15:47:21Z")
Heh. HOW windy is it here, you ask? Well, neighbor kid just brought me my mailbox. No, not my mail - my mailbox, which had been blown off it’s post. It needed fixing anyway, and if that’s all the damage we sustain from this, I’ll be dang happy. _sigh_ there go the lights again… ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/97 "2003-09-18T16:12:21Z")
We’ve bagged the garage and basement doors, and I’m about to go out and bring in our plants and porch furniture. Whee! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/98 "2003-09-18T16:14:48Z")
Har! They’ll get me from my apartment when they pry it from my cold, dead hands! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/99 "2003-09-18T16:15:56Z")
Welcome to the mid-atlantic, Ginger! You mean they didn’t have hurricanes up north, you say? ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594/100 "2003-09-18T16:53:06Z")
No, but then we did have -40F and snowstorms with increasing regularity. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hold-onto-your-butts-mid-atlantic-dopers-here-comes-isabel/201594.md?page=6)