# Your MacOSX on-the-scene Hurricane Reporter Guy!



## delsoljb32 (Sep 15, 2004)

Greetings all, bored to tears here, no work for the rest of the week since lovely Ivan has come to visit my part of the world. So, in an effort to fight the boredom (and to keep from raiding the beer and liquor stockpile at 1021AM  ) I will continue reporting here about the conditions and goings-on here in Pensacola,FL up until Ivan takes the powerlines down. I'll see if I can get out there every now and again and snap some pics to give everyone an idea of what its like. For now, I'll start with a radar pic from the weather channel. 

Right now the wind is picking up and some of the outer rain bands are coming in. I imagine we'll have power till probably this evening or so, then it'll be out for a week most likely. More to follow, wish me luck!


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## DanTekGeek (Sep 15, 2004)

horray! our own on the ground reporter!
be carefull, i dont want my friend to have to come save you (firefighter down there in pensacola)


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## diablojota (Sep 15, 2004)

Dude, I wish you the best...  Hopefully it will steer further west.  I have family in those parts, who have already evacuated to Atlanta to stay with my 'rents.


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## delsoljb32 (Sep 15, 2004)

Yeah, we were hoping it would swing more westerly, but it is setting its sights on Mobile Bay, which is about 50-60 miles from here (which puts us right in the northeastern corner of the eyewall, right where you dont want to be!). Everything is boarded up and secured. I have friends in the fire dept as well, hopefully I wont be calling on them! 

It was so weird this morning, all my windows are boarded up so tight, there is NO light coming into the house. I woke up, thinking it was still early, looked at the clock and it was 9:30, very eerie. I imagine it will be very strange when it feels like the middle of the day, and its still pitch black in the house.


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## DanTekGeek (Sep 15, 2004)

just stay safe.


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## RGrphc2 (Sep 15, 2004)

My Girlfriend is down in Columbus GA right now with her parents.  I am really worried about her, i talked to her this morning at like 10am est, and it was already raining


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## delsoljb32 (Sep 15, 2004)

conditions are steadily deteriorating, more wind and rain, gusts of approx. 35-40mph. Expecting the water to be shut off sometime today as well, most likely towards the evening.


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## Zammy-Sam (Sep 15, 2004)

ufff! That's tough! Be careful, dude! And hey, maybe it's time for a scientifical observation. Overclock your powerbook and use it outside. Guess you should be able to run it a 3Ghz, huh? 
Kidding, stay save and don't play the hero, ok? (this is what they mostly say in the movies. I think it's appropriate in this situation)


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## nixgeek (Sep 15, 2004)

Please keep safe.  We here in South Florida were really lucky with all three storms.  Let's just hope that Jeanne turns away to the Atlantic.  I'll keep all you guys in my prayers...

God bless...


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## delsoljb32 (Sep 15, 2004)

yeah, the wind is picking up quite a bit now, howling in the trees outside my window. the good thing is that the speed of the hurricane has increased and will move thru faster. The bad part is that it will make landfall during the night, which is a little scary. 

Heres a pic from outside just a few minutes ago, pretty blurry on account of the rain and low light, but it was worth a shot.

Not sure how much longer we'll have power and cable, but I'll keep on it...

-Your fearless storm tracker


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## delsoljb32 (Sep 15, 2004)

another radar image, this one showing the true form of the beast!


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## delsoljb32 (Sep 15, 2004)

probably the last transmission for a while (a week or more??). The power and cable has been going in and out as transformers are exploding throughout my neighborhood (somehow we still have power!?!) No pics since it is 9:30 PM and the camera wouldnt pick up anything, however here is the latest radar. There have been reports of tornadoes in neighboring cities and 1 confirmed death as a result. Wish me luck in the following days and godspeed to you all. 

-J-


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## diablojota (Sep 16, 2004)

Well, I am sure you won't be able to respond by this point.  My prayers are with you and all those who are currently battling through the storm...

Best wishes, and write back soon as you can to let us know everything is okay.


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## Zammy-Sam (Sep 16, 2004)

another prayer was sent from germany to you guys out there..


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## Satcomer (Sep 18, 2004)

Well that storm spawned some tornados in my neck of the woods. Some people around here we hit hard. It didn't stay on the ground for that long. My immediate area was spared but just a couple of miles from here it was hit. Weird. I hope delsoljb32 made out o.k.


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## delsoljb32 (Sep 20, 2004)

Well everyone, my family and I made it through ok, some damage to our house, but everyone was safe. That was quite an experience that I will hopefully never have to live through again. Very scary. My city is in ruins, everywhere is destruction and debris. It will take many months and years to rebuild and get back to normal, if at all. Hopefully for this sleepy little retirement/military town we can resume some sort of normalcy, but I doubt it. Just about the entire downtown area was damaged/demolished by the storm surge, the rest of the city was decimated by the 115 tornadoes that were spawned by the hurricane. Many friends lost their homes, lives ruined, and so far 68 souls were lost.

Quite an experience...


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## markceltic (Sep 20, 2004)

Good to hear from you delsoljb32! After watching the news it's a wonder more weren't lost.I wouldn't think it'd be stretch to say that this years Thanksgiving will be particularly poignant.


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## ora (Sep 21, 2004)

Glad to hear you're safe delsoljb32, 115 tornadoes is actually beyond my ability to comprehend, i've never even seen one (for once i'm glad about the english weather). Perhaps time for a quiet drink over in the Bar, I'll take over you barkeep duties temporarily while you recover- now is hardly a time for having to pour your own beer!

Once again, glad you and your family are safe, good luck with the rebuild.


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## MDLarson (Sep 21, 2004)

Posted at MacDesktops, here's an awesome picture of Ivan from the International Space Station!
http://www.macdesktops.com/images/1152x870/NASAivan1152x870.jpg


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## nixgeek (Sep 21, 2004)

MDLarson said:
			
		

> Posted at MacDesktops, here's an awesome picture of Ivan from the International Space Station!
> http://www.macdesktops.com/images/1152x870/NASAivan1152x870.jpg



Now that is cool...


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## delsoljb32 (Sep 22, 2004)

awesome picture, though my perspective was quite different. The worst part was that it came in at night, which made it even scarier, knowing that there are tornadoes all over the place, but having to trust your hearing to discern the sounds of high wind and rain, as opposed to the sound of a tornado. quite unsettling...


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## Satcomer (Sep 22, 2004)

The tornado part is really scary (I can't imagine living in Tornado Ally). My experience with this storm was the heavy rain and semi storm winds (around 30 miles an hour). Then all of a sudden the rain and wind stopped and the evening had a strange yellow-greenish glow. The clouds were racing over my head. I found out a hour or so later about the tornado hitting about 5 miles from where I live. I was to stupid to get my camera and try to take some pictures. the really strange part was the total silence. no birds singing or wind. I was constantly looking up to see if I need to get to shelter. If I lived on the other side of a very small hill (around 700 yards north with building blocking the view) I would have seen the funnel cloud. I thought it was weird I didn't hear it. It was the first time I haven't heard any traffic, birds or insects. I didn't expect anything like this in Virginia. However, I did like this little tornado story about this area.


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## pds (Sep 23, 2004)

great link for my new service - tofu. Puts the unformatted text into readable columns.

It has been a summer for storms. Frances missed my parents Florida getaway by about 8 miles. Just north of them similar trailerparks were flattened. Fortunately their place is fine and glad to hear you are too delsoljb


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