Lachlan was starting to come down with a chest cold so Amy & David decided to leave the island. They are now in Chapel Hill.
A breeze is just starting to pick up...maybe 10-12 mph. The village is very quiet.
Thank you to the anonymous poster who said, "I know you are not staying on the island to be heroes." No we are not. It is much about risk assessment. Here is our local wunderground forecast for this evening:
"Tropical storm conditions expected with hurricane conditions possible. Showers likely. Lows in the middle 70s. North winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 65 mph."
This is the prediction for the strongest winds on Ocracoke from Earl. It is very much like the Hyde Co. Emergency Management prediction of 70 mph winds.
To be sure, Earl is a large and powerful storm...but it should stay about 100 miles east of us, maybe farther, and the strongest winds are in the northeast eyewall.
Again, thank you to all of our readers who are keeping Ocracoke and its people in your thoughts.
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Glad Lachlan is off island. It might have been to much for a six year to bear. You stay safe and keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteMr. Howard-
ReplyDeleteThanks for all of the updates and we wish you well. Ocracoke is a special place and we think about it all of time.
Take Care
This Ocracoke lover (aka dingbatter) here in East TN is thinking of you and know that your home will protect you again, as it has many Howards over the past 100 years! We will be keeping positive thoughts for all of Ocracoke.
ReplyDeleteThank you for keeping everyone up to date. I check out the websites but it's nice to hear first-hand of what is happening on Ocracoke. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers now and in the coming days. God bless.
ReplyDelete"Showers likely." I love it.
ReplyDeleteStay safe, and here's hoping the flooding won't be too bad!
Watching the airport webcam and thinking about all of you that stay behind. Hope it's just a brush not a hit.
ReplyDeleteHello...Lets hope EARL is just quickly passing thru...Our prayers are with you...God Bless..
ReplyDeletePhilip,
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to keep us updated about Earl and the island, while you're busy readying for any possibility. We so appreciate that!
Prayers for Ocracoke's safety and well-being and I fully understand why the year-round residents are staying behind to protect what is near and dear to them. And I hope that Lachlan feels better soon and is safe with Mom & Dad.
Take care and batten down the hatches while we mainlanders pray!
I to am watching the airport web cam also and just saw a man and two young boys walk out on the beach. I wonder what goes through this mans mind! He will be the one you hear about during the storm who call 911 for help and they can not respond. Oh well they have been warned and have had plenty of time. Some people just do not heed warnings, God help them!
ReplyDeleteI am a year round resident and I left! This storm is nothing to stay there for! For those who stayed all the best.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this update. You've eased my mind a bit about the wind speeds and path of the storm. I've been worrying about this very special place and it's so hard to discern what's really happening amid all the weather reporting hype. The Howard Family and all the others who are staying are on my mind especially today. Look forward to your next posts as the storm passes...
ReplyDeleteFrom a Roanoke Islander to a Ocracoke Islander, take care. Hope both of our islands (and Hatteras too) are spared the brunt of the storm.
ReplyDeleteI have more degrees than a thermometer in meteorology, twenty years with NOAA as a research scientist (satellites), a very healthy respect for storms like this (combined with a very humble approach to Mother Nature) and after making my best prediction the very next thing I'd do is go to the folks like Phillip because, frankly, they have the experience.
ReplyDeleteI don't write this to minimize the risk and you certainly need to prepare for the worst, but with your years of experience AND taking the proper precautions...you guys will be fine. Ocracoke has a very long history of successfully riding out these storms. Yes, it's a dangerous storm. Yes, there will be damage. Yes, there will be flooding, but Earl is not going to bring you anything you haven't seen before.
That being said...I'll certainly say a prayer for your safety. Ocracoke has been my "vacation home" too for almost 40 years now. No other place like it in the world.
Good luck and see you on the other side. I'll be watching the airport webcam for as long as it holds up!
Good luck to you! As a new property owner on Ocracoke, having purchased one of the Boyette condos at the auction last year, I was on the island this week but left due to Earl. I felt obligated to get my 8 year old son to safety first and foremost. However, had I been alone, I would have stayed to ride it out. My prayers and thoughts are with you and all the residents of Ocracoke.
ReplyDelete