2024 Tropical Weather Thread (48 Viewers)

[Dragon]

Incredible. There is so much utility under that freeway just in that photo alone: you have fiberoptic, electrical and either a water main or a storm sewer. Probably a water main judging by the destruction.

That 12" pipe is ultimately what caused that level of failure. You can see the ground heaved around the pipe. That pipe was full and when the ground became too saturated the pressure inside exceeded the ground pressure and the line literally raises up out of the ground. It happens on new projects with poor compaction. I have never seen one come out of a road before without an earthquake. Ever. In 25 years of heavy civil construction design and execution.

They have leak and pressure detection. The line is supposed to drain itself if the pressure outside the line drops. This means that the pressure drop outside from the water was so fast that the meters and drains couldn't keep up. I can't fathom that much rain.

I am so sorry for you all having to go through this.

And sadly, the reality is this is what happens when you ignore infrastructure projects and cut budgets. Infrastructure that was stressed fails completely and utterly when the system is stressed to its extreme. Not just at the fail points. Everywhere.

That freeway will not be open for over a year minimum. This section alone I mean. I hope the damage like this is fairly localized because they would have to start over and completely rebuild the freeway from soil mass balance. That would take twice as long as it did the first time and cost three times as much.

Couple that with the other major roadways that are destroyed and the reality is, ALL major Federal infrastructure project in the country will be delayed and diverted to this area.

This will cause further delay on projects that are desperately needing to be done to avoid this very situation.

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It isn't t much, and I live in the other side of the country, but I have an ADU that I Airbnb. If anyone has been displaced or has friends or family that has and has nowhere to go, I will pull it down from the website and give it to you all for free. For as long as you need. Even Falcons fans.

I wish I had more to offer than a 1 bedroom. But it sleeps 4 fairly comfortably. Just DM me and I we can figure it out.

If I remember right from my time in Tennesee 40 years ago there are a lot of small communities in the mountains with only one road in and out. I remember some telling me that prior to the "new roads" being build they would be cut off for months during the winter. I don't know how many of those communities still exists but the damages could essentially remove entire communities from the mountains

 

[Bill]

Yeah, I don’t think much of the country realizes yet what a catastrophe this is. I just don’t see how these places are going to resupplied much less reconstructed on any kind of timeline.

In many cases the destruction of these towns up along the storm’s track is much more devastating than where the hurricane made landfall, simply because the relief and reconstruction work can begin immediately along the Florida coast.

The flash floods in those mountain towns in Tennessee and the Carolinas totally lost the ability to get the help they need to begin the cleanup. That’s as sad as I’ve ever seen.

 

[Nisey55]

In many cases the destruction of these towns up along the storm’s track is much more devastating than where the hurricane made landfall, simply because the relief and reconstruction work can begin immediately along the Florida coast.

The flash floods in those mountain towns in Tennessee and the Carolinas totally lost the ability to get the help they need to begin the cleanup. That’s as sad as I’ve ever seen.

Yep

 

[Hubig]

That entire region is about to be reminded just how scummy insurance companies are once things settle down.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[JayMS]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but I saw a comment in a broadcast group today about how the Tennessean was streaming the iHeart radio group in that area on YouTube, providing continuous coverage. Listening to this kind of brings back memories of Katrina.

 

[Madmarsha]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but I saw a comment in a broadcast group today about how the Tennessean was streaming the iHeart radio group in that area on YouTube, providing continuous coverage. Listening to this kind of brings back memories of Katrina.

Sure does.

 

[superchuck500]

The situation in NC is still not stable.




Update:

Declared safe

 

[superchuck500]

I know this school in Banner Elk NC (Lee’s McRae College) a great little river hike around their campus. They evacuated all of their students by helicopter to Hickory.

 

[superchuck500]

I still can’t get in touch with my friend in Brevard (SW of Asheville). He’s one of my best friends (and I’m godfather to his oldest girl). I heard from his ex-wife that they’re okay and the house is fine but that it’s otherwise like a war zone there. I call and text a few times a day but can’t get through.

I’m sure there are many with loved ones there that they can’t reach at all and haven’t been able to confirm status one way or the other. That’s a terrible state to be in.

 

[efil4stnias]

I still can’t get in touch with my friend in Brevard (SW of Asheville). He’s one of my best friends (and I’m godfather to his oldest girl). I heard from his ex-wife that they’re okay and the house is fine but that it’s otherwise like a war zone there. I call and text a few times a day but can’t get through.

I’m sure there are many with loved ones there that they can’t reach at all and haven’t been able to confirm status one way or the other. That’s a terrible state to be in.

there is a level of stress that accompanies a catastrophic natural disaster that cannot be explained or understood unless you have lived thru.

This takes me right back to 2005- sitting on a curb outside the La Quinta trying to reach folks by cell/text - boss, friends, family - while understanding I have a wife and 2 yr old up in the room- will i even have a career now? an absolute avalanche of "What now" comes rushing over you and it can be quite paralyzing.

The amount of "unknowns" are more than the mind can handle and it can make any person become enveloped in fear. We spent 10 days in Tupelo MS and the kindness and support we received from those around helped keep a lid on the anxiety. I suspect that the same thing will happen here, just that it may take a bit more time due to access to the areas are very very limited.

All i can offer to those in this state of unknown is to focus on the now, one step at a time, and as you take each step, its accomplishment. It will get better and once you see the kindness and support from folks you have never met, things start to focus a bit better every day.


Ugghhhh. feeling a lil PTSD here after reading that.

Would love for us here to be able to start some sort of collection and maybe donate, en masse, to the relief effort.


PS and this is no lie- part of what kept me "focused" was the thread on this very board back in 2005 where folks were "checking in" and reporting on areas as they were able to return. I would spend hours at the terminal in the La Quinta looking for any news about my home area and office area to give me some level of comfort that things will be ok. And they were.

 

[Maxp]

I still can’t get in touch with my friend in Brevard (SW of Asheville). He’s one of my best friends (and I’m godfather to his oldest girl). I heard from his ex-wife that they’re okay and the house is fine but that it’s otherwise like a war zone there. I call and text a few times a day but can’t get through.

I’m sure there are many with loved ones there that they can’t reach at all and haven’t been able to confirm status one way or the other. That’s a terrible state to be in.

My father lives in Brevard. I talked to him yesterday. He had to travel 12 miles outside town to get cell service. Both the Food Lion and Ingles were open. Still no power or cell service. He said Brevard fared better than many towns in the area.

 

[superchuck500]

My father lives in Brevard. I talked to him yesterday. He had to travel 12 miles outside town to get cell service. Both the Food Lion and Ingles were open. Still no power or cell service in town. He said Brevard fared better than many towns in the area.

Thanks - I definitely got the sense that it wasn’t as bad in Brevard than elsewhere, it’s good to get confirmation. I figure he will get in touch with me when he’s able to get a signal.

 

[superchuck500]

there is a level of stress that accompanies a catastrophic natural disaster that cannot be explained or understood unless you have lived thru.

This takes me right back to 2005- sitting on a curb outside the La Quinta trying to reach folks by cell/text - boss, friends, family - while understanding I have a wife and 2 yr old up in the room- will i even have a career now? an absolute avalanche of "What now" comes rushing over you and it can be quite paralyzing.

The amount of "unknowns" are more than the mind can handle and it can make any person become enveloped in fear. We spent 10 days in Tupelo MS and the kindness and support we received from those around helped keep a lid on the anxiety. I suspect that the same thing will happen here, just that it may take a bit more time due to access to the areas are very very limited.

All i can offer to those in this state of unknown is to focus on the now, one step at a time, and as you take each step, its accomplishment. It will get better and once you see the kindness and support from folks you have never met, things start to focus a bit better every day.


Ugghhhh. feeling a lil PTSD here after reading that.

Would love for us here to be able to start some sort of collection and maybe donate, en masse, to the relief effort.


PS and this is no lie- part of what kept me "focused" was the thread on this very board back in 2005 where folks were "checking in" and reporting on areas as they were able to return. I would spend hours at the terminal in the La Quinta looking for any news about my home area and office area to give me some level of comfort that things will be ok. And they were.

Yeah I think any of us who have lived through a truly catastrophic event - even if at a distance - suffer real trauma. I was living Uptown during Katrina, evacuated the day before to Baton Rouge and then when BR got crazy and NO was clearly wrecked, I made my way over to North Carolina and spent the next eight weeks there before going back to NO and ultimately making the decision to move away.

And then there were all the different times where we had to evacuate- or those hours (to days) without power even when you stayed.

I definitely have hurricane trauma, I certainly think all of us on this thread probably do to some extent, some worse than others. It’s partly why I follow the storms (also still living on the coast) like I do - and I can’t sleep when they’re making landfall. Then in the coming hours and days sometimes you just have a moment and break down for a second - I have decided that’s a healthy release of tension and real empathy for knowing what the impacted people are dealing with.

It’s just something we live with, some days worse than others.

 

[bonnjer]

NHC has 7-day outlook down to 40% for the orange blob in the Caribbean. The GFS isn't showing much development, although there does look to be some more rain headed toward a similar path as Helene.