Ophelia Soaks N.C. Coast, Knocks Out Power

[brooklynite]

NAGS HEAD, N.C. - Hurricane Ophelia gradually picked up strength as it closed in on North Carolina on Wednesday, soaking the region with a half-foot of rain, washing away a barrier island street and causing power outages.

The storm had sustained wind of 85 mph Wednesday afternoon, up from 75 mph early in the morning, the National Hurricane Center said. Hurricane warnings were shifted northward, covering the entire North Carolina coast from the South Carolina line to Virginia, where a tropical storm warning covered the mouth of Chesapeake Bay.

The northern side of Ophelia's eyewall — the circle of strongest wind surrounding the eye — was expected to move along North Carolina's southeast coast late Wednesday, the hurricane center said.

Up the coast on the Outer Banks, officials warned that Ophelia could bring 11 hours of hurricane-force wind to Hatteras Island.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050914/ap_on_re_us/hurricane_ophelia
- - -
Pat Robertson, why have you forsaken us?????

[brooklynite]

1. FEMA's on the job...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had at least 200 workers on the ground in North Carolina for the first post-Katrina hurricane, a larger-than-usual contingent given Ophelia's size. FEMA also put Coast Guard Rear Adm. Brian Peterman in place to command any federal response the storm may require.

Gee, I wonder why...

I also wonder if they pulled needed staff out of the Katrina recovery in order to look good...

[Toots]

18. In STARK CONTRAST to how they prepared for Katrina

:shrug: "Who could have known?"

[blossomstar]

2. we're so comforted by the fact that FEMA will be here for us...

Homeland Security, FEMA, the Red Cross... they should all be here should we be blown away in a couple of weeks! Seriously, it looks like we're back to the frontier days when each person is on his own...

[chalky]

3. But NC is home to all those heathenist Claymates, doncha know.

The Clay Aiken worshippers must be punished.

In all seriousness, I hope the loss of life is minimal.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

11. no need to worry

NC has carried the repugnant presidential candidate ever since Carter and electronic voting.

NC is safe.

Also, there is not a high concentration of poor on the coast, in fact, it is a highly republican area.

Sadly, that is their protection.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

15. We have a dem governor, and both houses are controlled by dems.

As we learned in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd, it's not just the immediate coast that can be harmed by a less than powerhouse storm... And there is a lot of poverty in the Coastal Plain. It's not just rich white republicans who will be affected by this storm.

[gratefull4u]

19. Claymate here!

Clay is doing great work with the UN for kids. He has very liberal ideas, I like his voice too!

[chalky]

23. Well, there you go. UN for kids. Liberal ideas.

No wonder Pat Robertson won't save NC. Hmph.

[eleny]

4. I'm watching the Governor on CNN right now

I don't doubt his sincerity, concern and abilities. But if the administration tries to use this press conference to "teach Dems how to do hurricanes" ... oooooh! :grr:

[LostinVA]

6. I thought Easley was a Dem?

I thought he was when I lived in NC....

[OneGrassRoot]

7. he is, unless he switched parties........ n/t

[eleny]

16. Oh! Well, in that case... Nevermind!

:rofl: :patriot: :spray:

[eleny]

17. See my posting #16 below

:blush: :blush: :blush:

[MissMarple]

8. South Carolina's governor was on earlier, either MSNBC or CNN..

He was oh so self congratulatory.

[Ripley]

5. My parents were going to stay (Hampstead), but

at 7:00 am the transformers blew and they decided they didn't want to go through a week without power (as they had for other hurricanes). So they safely got to relatives inland.

Their home in Hampstead is on the intracoastal waterway about 20 miles north of Wilmington.

[spinbaby]

9. It's lingering just offshore

Wilmington's been just off the eyewall for hours.

[leftofcool]

10. Better call Rudy and Jeb!!!!!!!!!!!

Cuz you know they have all the answers.

Left of Cool

[Bob3]

12. The president in an effort to over come the bad publicity

he got by posing with a Guitar during Katrina's landfall has announced this time he will pose with an accordion while Hurricane Ophelia makes landfall.

[geniph]

22. I'm picturing him with a kazoo for Hurricane Zelda

[flordehinojos]

13. i feel bad for the people of NC who are without power.

when katrina crossed over south florida we were without power for five days...and while that is nothing compared to what the people of New Orleans have suffered....it is uncomfortable enough to make me feel bad for the people in NC who have lost their power.

[TOOLZ]

14. ABOUT TIME they start naming Hurricanes with cool names.

I want more tragic and literate names!

Hurricane Iago.

Hurricane Shylock.

Hurricane Megatron.

[Akoto]

21. LOL. While you're at it ...

Hurricane Optimus Prime. :D

[mahatmakanejeeves]

20. Lotta hedonism happenin' out there at Nags Head.

Know what I mean?

[supernova]

24. Another 24-36 hours to go

of this stuff. x(

Ophelia is so slow moving that it's just sitting there churning and dumping rain. The eye is expected to make landfall about 4am tomorrow morning.

[donheld]

25. Damn! I wish one of these would get DC!

Although not the poor sections of town.