Foy
Resident Geologist
Fellow Travelers,
While NC was largely spared the brunt of Hurricane Sandy's fury, we did manage to have one heckuva strange weather day yesterday, October 29:
The day included high winds and heavy rains throughout the north-central and particularly the northeast corner of NC, following over 48 hours of pounding as the storm moved SLOWLY northward, well out to sea. The Outer Banks got hammered and about 20 surf-fisherman/campers were marooned on Portsmouth Island when the winds precluded operations of the private ferry which serves the barrier island just south of Ocracoke.
As forecast, Sandy was enveloped by a huge low embedded within a major cold front. That brought plummeting temps, more wind and rain, and record-setting barometric lows in the low's center.
The Superstorm, as it's become know as, then brought wrap-around hurricane force winds to the higher elevations in the Blue Ridge and the Smokies, temps well below freezing, and blizzard conditions, with near zero visibility and up to 4' of snow, all the while the Fall colors are still on display at lower elevations.
This is the time of year when those attempting to through-hike the Appalachian Trail from north to south generally reach the VA-NC border areas. The snow and cold have been about as bad in VA, where elevations are generally much lower, and hikers emerging from the Smokies are reporting jackstrawed tree blowdowns and waist-deep snow. Many who live in proximity to the AT serve as "Trail Angels" and have plucked southbound through-hikers from road crossings throughout NC and VA in the last 24-36 hours.
Back out in the Atlantic, around 90 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, the HMS Bounty, a 180' 3-masted tall ship built as a replica of an 18th century trading ship for the Marlon Brando film "Mutiny on the Bounty", sank in heavy seas while attempting to skirt the storm on an escape route from her harbor in Connecticut. Of 16 crew on board, the Coast Guard rescued 14 from life rafts, recovered one body, and is still searching for the longtime Captain. The deceased was said to be a 42 year-old descendant of Fletcher Christian.
And just to round it off, a small earthquake was recorded, centered near Asheville.
Yesterday was an excellent day to live in the Piedmont of NC, where Raleigh is located. No bad stuff here whatsoever yesterday or last night.
Foy
While NC was largely spared the brunt of Hurricane Sandy's fury, we did manage to have one heckuva strange weather day yesterday, October 29:
The day included high winds and heavy rains throughout the north-central and particularly the northeast corner of NC, following over 48 hours of pounding as the storm moved SLOWLY northward, well out to sea. The Outer Banks got hammered and about 20 surf-fisherman/campers were marooned on Portsmouth Island when the winds precluded operations of the private ferry which serves the barrier island just south of Ocracoke.
As forecast, Sandy was enveloped by a huge low embedded within a major cold front. That brought plummeting temps, more wind and rain, and record-setting barometric lows in the low's center.
The Superstorm, as it's become know as, then brought wrap-around hurricane force winds to the higher elevations in the Blue Ridge and the Smokies, temps well below freezing, and blizzard conditions, with near zero visibility and up to 4' of snow, all the while the Fall colors are still on display at lower elevations.
This is the time of year when those attempting to through-hike the Appalachian Trail from north to south generally reach the VA-NC border areas. The snow and cold have been about as bad in VA, where elevations are generally much lower, and hikers emerging from the Smokies are reporting jackstrawed tree blowdowns and waist-deep snow. Many who live in proximity to the AT serve as "Trail Angels" and have plucked southbound through-hikers from road crossings throughout NC and VA in the last 24-36 hours.
Back out in the Atlantic, around 90 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, the HMS Bounty, a 180' 3-masted tall ship built as a replica of an 18th century trading ship for the Marlon Brando film "Mutiny on the Bounty", sank in heavy seas while attempting to skirt the storm on an escape route from her harbor in Connecticut. Of 16 crew on board, the Coast Guard rescued 14 from life rafts, recovered one body, and is still searching for the longtime Captain. The deceased was said to be a 42 year-old descendant of Fletcher Christian.
And just to round it off, a small earthquake was recorded, centered near Asheville.
Yesterday was an excellent day to live in the Piedmont of NC, where Raleigh is located. No bad stuff here whatsoever yesterday or last night.
Foy
