Hurricane Helene About To Strike Gulf Coast

 

Residents in and north of the Florida panhandle are about to get some rough weather and probable power outages.  Hurricane Helene, with winds up to 85 miles an hour Wednesday night, is growing in strength and size, and headed north. Hurricane warnings have been posted between Tampa and Panama City, as well as much of Georgia, and most of the rest of the two states, as well as much of Alabama and North Carolina have tropical storm warnings. 

Impact is expected tonight, with potentially "catastrophic" storm surges and flash flooding on the coast, the latter likely to happen north of the coast. For anyone in the impacted areas using the Internet, and of course virtual worlds such as Second Life, there will almost certainly be power outages and disconnections for some time. Those further away have more of a chance of keeping their power and connections. So if you know any residents in the affected areas, they might be offline for a few days.

Source: weather.com

Bixyl Shuftan

Hurricaine Idalia Threatens American Southeast

 

 

 Just after Hurricane Hilary caused a scare for California, there's another major storm taking aim at Florida, and on course to barrel through Georgia and South & North Carolina: Hurricane Idalia. Projected to strengthen to Category Three before it lands, there's the possibility of it getting still stronger to Cat 4 when it hits the Florida coast this morning. The storm is expected to remain at hurricane strength as it heads through Georgia, and only weakening to tropical storm status in South Carolina, and continue on through southeast North Carolina, being out at sea only very early Friday morning.

 

People in the path of the storm can expect a strong possibility of electrical, and Internet, outage, and some on the outskirts may experience some interruptions as well. So some of us in Second Life may be offline, or notice some friends who are usually on being off.

 

Sources: News Nation, Weather Channel

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Hurricaine Ida Smashes Inland, Knocks Out Power to One Million

 

On Sunday August 29, Hurricane Ida reached Louisiana after quickly strengthening to a Category 4 storm. The result was flooding and damage that brought back memories of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Over a million people lost electric power, including practically everyone in New Orleans. One or two people have been confirmed dead, though more may be found. But for many, it may be some time before they places they evacuated from are safe to return to, and it may be weeks until some places get full electric power, and Internet, again. 

What's left of Ida is continuing to move northeast, and may create flooding and tornadoes along the way.
 
Sources: Weather Channel, CBS News, AP News 

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Hurricane Ida Srengthens to Cat 4, Heading Into Louisiana

 

Residents in Louisiana and Mississippi are facing lots of rain and power outages as Hurricane Ida is not only making a beeline toward them, it is rapidly gaining in strength along the way. 

Ida has been gaining strength very fast. Currently, it is a Categoty Four storm, with winds next to the eye going 130 miles an hour. The storm will make landfall later today, bringing high winds and possible flooding over much of the Louisiana coast, as well as power and Internet outages. As the storm travels inland, while it will lessen in intensity, the still high winds will continue to knock out power over much of Louisiana and Mississippi.

For more information, check out the weather channel: https://weather.com/ .

Source: Weather Channel

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Tropical Storm Isaias Hits East Coast

It's a stormy week for the East Coast. On Sunday, Hurricane Isaias reached Florida. Slightly reduced in speed, it became Tropical Storm Isaias as it began going north along it's coast, hitting Georgia and South Carolina on Monday. As this article is being written, it's hitting the coast of North Carolina, and as the day goes on will continue to travel northeast, hitting Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. On Wednesday, remnants of the storm will hit New York and New England.

With it's high winds, the storm will cause many power outages in it's path. This includes the areas where yours truly and one of the Newser reporters lives. So for some Second Life users, power may be out for a while. In the meantime, those in it's path keep your batteries and canned goods (and books) for a possible day without power.

Bixyl Shuftan

Hurricane Update

Following it's turn to the north after heading to Florida, Hurricane Dorian has been battering the East Coast as it makes it's way north. Thursday it was hitting South Carolina, and by Thursday night it was North Carolina's turn. In South Carolina alone, more than a quarter million are without power. This number does not count those who lost it in other states.

Today the storm will be hitting southeast Virginia. After that, by Saturday morning Massachusetts' coastal areas will be getting high winds. then the storm will go through Nova Scotia and Labrador.


If someone whom is usually on Second Life on Friday's isn't, they might be in one of the areas affected by the hurricane. For those yet to be hit, be prepared.

ouruces: Greenvile News, wunderground.com, The Post and Courier
Image Source: NOAA

Bixyl Shuftan

Hurricane Update

For the Bahamas, Hurricane Dorian has been nothing short of devastating. The most powerful storm to hit the islands, seven deaths have been recorded, a total expected to go up after the departure of high winds allows for better searches. Having been heading slowly in the direction of Florida for the past several days, the storm has started to make it's turn northward while it's weakened to a Category Two. So while the Sunshine State is getting plenty of wind and rain, it looks like it's going to avoid a direct hit.

The bad news, the storm will be heading up the coast from Florida, to Georgia, to South Carolina, to North Carolina, to SE Virginia. Residents at or near the coastal areas of these states are urged to keep a close eye on weather reports for the next few days. At the very least, make plans for a day or so of lost power (including the local gas station and ATM). Closer to the path of the eyewall of the storm, homes could experience real damage.

Be prepared

Souruces: Associated Press, Reuters, wunnderground.com
Image Source: NOAA

Bixyl Shuftan

Hurricane Dorian Threatens East Coast

Real life is very likely to bring some unpleasant news to the East Coast of the United States soon. After coming through the eastern Caribbean, Hurricane Dorian has been gathering strength and heading to the Bahamas as a Category Four storm. Heading to Florida, there are signs the storm will turn northward and weaken somewhat. Unfortunately, this means that Georgia and North and South Carolina are threatened. Residents in the affected area are likely to experience power outages, and possibly worse in places where the storm makes a direct hit.

Those in the southeast, keep an eye on the weather.

Sources: wunderground.com, Associated Press, weather.com
Image Source: NOAA