I have lived in Columbus, GA most of my life and last week was the first time that I can ever remember school being canceled due to a hurricane. Granted, most of the schools were without power, but Frances was not too nasty in my area – thunderstorms, rain, downed trees, and power outages. Typical storm type stuff. We lost power for a few hours and lost a 100 year old oak that was uprooted. Other than that – it looked like the kids got a “rain” day.
Enter Ivan. It is coming, and it is coming hard. Thankfully it looks like it will track west of my area. That did not sound right, but I think everyone knows what I mean – my area will miss the major stuff at the expense of other parts such as western Alabama.
Local area schools are going to be closed Thursday and Friday, but it looks like this one will be more than a couple of “rain” days. Tornados and flooding are expecting. The family will bunker down while I will bravely (or stupidly) make my way into the riverfront office. Winds are gusting to 16 mph right now, but expected to be sustained at 25-45 mph before it is over. Not sure how the weather folks predict this stuff, but it sounds nasty.
I have family in Mobile, AL – thankfully they headed east yesterday towards Tallahassee, FL. Got the hell out of dodge. Sounds like the right choice because Gulf Shores was hit with a 10 foot surge. Hard to imagine the beach being completely under water, but harder still to image the first floors of the beach front condos being under water, but that is what has been reported in the Gulf Shores area. Scary stuff.
Columbus has not seen the likes of Ivan since 1995 when Opal trashed the area. I was in Atlanta at the time, which als saw some extensive damage. I do not remember Opal too much – I guess I had a life back then.
Ivan is coming – wish of luck and say a prayer or two for those in the path of the nasty stuff!
