#cause since kit and surge are electricity and water | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

thelocalmuffin · 2 years ago

Text

@leh-sarah asked for benbaro- Prompt 20: Scars

I am sorry for the couple of posts today, it is my birthday tomorrow and I wanted to make sure I am on schedule since I won’t really be online. Enjoy!

Small cw for mentions of an injury and dgs spoilers. I used the localization name for this story.

“Albert, what are you doing?” Barok inquires as he observes his partner placing his hand under the sink. He’s intently washing his hands, scrubbing on one specific spot.

“Oh, good afternoon, Barok.” Albert chuckles with a smile, turning back to the sink. “I’m just doing some first aid.��

“First aid?” Barok crosses his arms. “For what?”

“Well, I was doing an experiment and the beaker shattered unexpectedly. Some of the chemicals got on my hand.” Albert sighs, shaking his head. “I had my gloves on, but it was truly a strong combination and it leaked under. I think it’s going to scar.”

“Well, I pray that you’re at least alright and it hasn’t gotten worse.”

“Me too. Gracious, I cannot believe how badly my experiment went.”

“What on earth caused an explosion like that?” Barok frowns. “You were working on your teleportation device, weren’t you?”

“Yes, I was. I was taking some notes and noticed that a self-sufficient fueling system would help it stay on without any fears of electrical outages. If someone were to teleport while the system shut down due to a surge, an outage, well, it could be many things. Anyway, I fear that it could possibly end the person’s life, and I truly do not want that to happen again.”

“Well, that’s never happened, my dear.” Barok explains, grabbing his shoulder. “Even with your unfortunate situation, everyone knows it was a heinous crime you were not a part of. Let me see your hand.”

“Oh, I suppose Mr. Naruhodo did prove that, huh?” Albert sighs, changing the subject. “Well, here’s my hand.”

Albert removes the water from the tap, showing the bright red mark. It may not scar, but the injury itself is rather serious. Barok frowns as he looks at the little chest near the sink. It must be the first aid kit. His assumption is right. Taking the bandages out, he sits down before rubbing some ointment and wraps the bandage around Albert’s hand.

“Is it really bad?”

“I’m no doctor, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it scarred.” Barok admits. He leans in and kisses the bandage in a form of comfort. “Just let me know if I can help.”

“Oh, I will. I think that’s enough science for me today, though.” Albert scratches the back of his head with that awkward, adorable smile of his. “Thank you for your help, Barok. It’s very appreciated.”

“Of course.” Barok gently smiles as he nods. “Just please be careful next time. You don’t want to make this a habit.”

“Oh, yes, I don’t think I can pull off scars like you can.”

“Pray, what do you mean?”

“Well, to be frank, I find them rather attractive. Not enough to deliberately place them on myself, don’t worry, but they look wonderful on you.” Albert adjusts his glasses with his left hand.

“I suppose that isn’t the worst compliment I’ve received.”

“They all have an interesting story, especially the one between your eyes. In short, without your scars, you just aren’t you.”

Albert leans in and kisses the scar in between his eyes with a faint smile. Barok just hums in response. Albert isn’t really too physical with his affection, so this small moment is rather nice. He opens his eyes when Albert’s lips pull away.

“Just like that one.” Albert grins, “I think that one is my favourite.”

Hello everyone! I’m still taking these requests. Please feel free to look through the prompt lists and send an ask.

#benbaro #benjamin dobinbough #albert harebrayne #barok van zieks #albarok #muffin writes #leh-sarah #dgs spoilers

16 notes · View notes

kinkykinard · 4 years ago

Note

Hiiiii Can I please have "Selcouth" or "sirimiri" with Buddie? <3 <3

Selcouth: unfamiliar, strange, yet marvelous

Sirimiri: a light drizzle of rain

Long, intense firefights always brought out a lot of emotions. Anxiety, determination, hope, doubt, relief. It was no wonder everyone wound up in their own sort of headspace after all was said and done. Bobby was debriefing with incident command. Chim was rolling hoses. Hen was repacking med kits. Eddie was doing a final sweep of the fireline, making sure no embers remained.

Buck, meanwhile, had finished packing up their gear, securing pieces of kit back in their respective cases, ensuring compartments were secured for the trip back into town. Brushing his hands off on his turnout coat, he turned to survey the charred trees and razed brush around them. To think that a single, unextinguished cigarette butt thrown carelessly out of a car window had been enough to cause so much damage, to displace so much wildlife and lay waste to so many old growth trees, broke his damn heart.

Walking over toward Eddie, Buck moved in silence alongside the other firefighter for a while, kicking over rocks, searching for any hot spots that might remain in spite of all the water they’d poured into stopping the flames. He reeked of smoke, his skin was gritty, and his head was pounding from the exertion. It wasn’t all that that Eddie noticed, though. It was the faraway expression in Buck’s eyes as they scanned the tree line.

“What’s on your mind?” Eddie asked, pausing as they reached the far limit of the fireline.

Buck hummed, glancing over at him, running a hand through his hair.

“Honestly? Nothing, really.”

Eddie nodded, turning to face Buck.

“I get that,” he agreed.

Buck’s gaze darted around the barren canopy, the blackened tree trunks, the charred topsoil. He slowly turned, his eyes meeting Eddie’s, the overcast sky turning his usually-electric blue irises a steely gunmetal. Eddie found himself lost in them for a long moment, searching, trying to get a read on whatever was going on in Buck’s head and heart.

“It’s all gone,” Buck said, his voice hollow. “Hundreds of years of history gone, like that.”

He snapped his fingers, the sound unusually loud in the total silence that surrounded them. There were no leaves left for the wind to rustle through, no birds in the trees to call to one another and drown out the distant rumbles of thunder, the pounding of their own heartbeats in their ears.

“It’ll grow back,” Eddie said with a shrug. “Nature’s resilient. It’s come back from worse than this before.”

Buck’s expression was as stormy as the sky overhead, and Eddie couldn’t shake the feeling that they were having two different conversations. He was saved from having to prod any further, though, as the sky opened up and the first droplets of the rain they’d been praying for began to fall. Too little, too late, but appreciated nevertheless. At least the scent of petrichor was fresh and clean, giving them a chance to breathe deeply for the first time since the smoke had cleared.

Buck turned on his heel, making his way back toward the trucks with Eddie close behind. A strange vulnerability had settled over him in the wake of their exchange and the itch to move drove him forward. As used to the emotional surge after a fire as he was, it felt different this time. It felt different with Eddie. It was new and strange and a lot to unpack, even if it wasn’t entirely unwelcome.

Buck reached up to brush a few droplets of water off the rim of his helmet as the drizzle began to coalesce and form rivulets. Eddie fell into step beside him, and something about walking silent and in sync felt suddenly significant. Like the falling raindrops, Buck’s feelings ran together, growing into something more, something greater.

As they reached the trucks, Buck packed his thoughts away. He’d examine the complex gestalt at another time. For the time being, he allowed the light shower to cleanse away the fondness that was growing inside of him like he had any hope of returning to a place where his feelings were strictly platonic.

Request a drabble!

#jules answers #9-1-1 #fanfiction #Buddie #Eddie Diaz #Evan Buckley #feelings realization #fireladybuckley

12 notes · View notes

redstainedsocks · 4 years ago

Text

What’s in a name

Warnings: Torture, sensory deprivation, solitary confinement, electrocution/electroshock therapy, punishments, sadistic whumper, institutionalozed whump, memory loss, identity erasure, noncon drugging, drugs that cause memory loss, hallucinations, brutal treatment, brief beating and manhandling, box boy universe, dehumanization, denial of food

Set during Kit’s training period. I originally wrote this for escape!week and the prompt “relapse” but it didn’t seem right for the tone of that week, so I wrote something else for that and decided to post this on it’s own! Thanks especially to @castielamigos-whump-side-blog for being so enthusiastic about seeing more of Kit’s early time, gives me confidence that this is, hopefully, wanted :D.

This one is particularly brutal, so heed the warnings, and if you don’t feel up to reading it I’m happy to give a quick rundown of the content to anyone who DMs me. But as it’s set in the past, nothing particularly plot relevant happens, so it can be skipped altogether.

This is the knock-off version of what WRU would do during training, if anyone is curious. The made up drugs for this universe that alter memory (among other things) still exist, and I’ve made use of them. Thanks and credit to the other writers in the box boy universe--especially @ashintheairlikesnow and @moose-teeth--for giving me lots of context for their procedures so I could learn the process and turn it into this non-WRU method.

Tag List: @haro-whumps, @theycomeinthrees, @whumpthisway, @samanddeaninpanties, @teachunks, @draganies, @pepperonyscience, @whump-it, @castielamigos-whump-side-blog, @untilthepainstarts, @galaxywhump, @kiretto-laorentze, @lonesome--hunter @slaintetowhump @just-a-raccoon-with-wifi

Word Count: 1.9k

He woke up one day and he just knew.

Maybe they’d let him sleep for too long. Maybe he hadn’t been on the right dose of the drugs. Maybe it had been too many days since his last round of the shocks and beatings that forced his mind to retreat into numb obedience.

Whatever the reason he knew, he remembered.

He used to have a name.

He didn't used to spend his days cowering in corners and obeying orders, looking up at the world from his knees, or on his back, or with eyes ringed with bruises. He didn’t used to be scared and exhausted all the time, just hoping to make it through the day without crying in front of a stranger.

He used to be a person.

And if he knew that, he could fight back. He knew the routines, the layouts, which guards were a softer touch. He just needed an opening, and he’d take it.

When the guard came down the row of cells and knocked their baton on the concrete wall dividing his cell from the next, called him pet and told him to get up—he refused. He curled tighter into the corner and balled his fists and ducked his head.

“I said up, trainee.”

“Not my name,” he growled out.

“What was that?”

“I said: that’s not my name, I have a name.”

“Do you now? Want to share with the class?”

He grit his teeth and glared. Just because he wanted to hold on to it and not tell this violently dangerous man, didn’t make it any less true.

The guard grinned.”That’s what I thought.” A radio crackled and the guard spoke into it. “Yeah, we’ve got a back-slider in row 4, yeah, being defiant again.”

A muffled voice spoke back.

“Will do, I’ll wait right here.”

He frowned, leant forward a little. No, this wasn’t right, when he disrespected them they’d come in and give him a beating, right there and then. And he’d decided he wasn’t going to cower, he was going to use it as an opportunity to get the upper hand. Shit, no, shit, he’d played his card too early.

Three more black-glad guards arrived, one man, and a woman. A trainer too, the mean one who had steel toed boots and a grey streak in his hair. They surveyed him and checked the chart hanging by his cell. He watched them all through the chain link as they talked about training methods, the pros and cons of every course of treatment while he got more nervous by the second.

“What is that you want, trainee?” The trainer asked eventually. “What were you hoping to achieve with this outburst? A little one on one time? Hoping to get more food, jonesing for the drugs we put in there? Come on, talk to me pet, what did that pea-sized brain think was going to happen here?”

“Nothing,” he snarled. “I don’t want anything from you, you can’t do this to me, to anyone! I want to… I want to go home, you have to let me leave.” He breathed hard through his nose and tried to quell the quiet voice that told him he didn’t remember where home was, that he had nowhere else to go. That was them talking; there had to be somewhere better than here.

“That doesn’t sound like something a good pet would say. And you’ve been such a good pet lately, you’re ruining your well behaved streak.”

“I’m not your pet, I’m not anybody's pet!”

The trainer smiled and it radiated such calculated hatred that it froze the blood in his veins. “Now we’re getting to the root of it.” The man gestured at him and turned to his colleagues. “He’s starting to think he gets to be a person.”

They all laughed, and he flinched. They sounded like hyenas, jackals, crows… all out for a piece of him, waiting to pick him apart and peck out his innards piece by piece by piece until there was nothing left but empty space.

“Right, okay. This has gone on long enough, throw him in the hole. We’ll see if that destroys these little illusions.”

His defiance wavered and he pitched forward onto his hands and knees as panic surged through him. The gate unlocked and they surrounded him, hands on his shoulders and in his hair, and batons swinging down on his back and legs. He fought, he fought with everything he had.

Like always, like every time before, it wasn’t enough.

“No! No, wait, please, please. Anything else, just, please, anything else.”

Maybe he was a person, but he wasn’t above begging. Not if it got him out of this.The hole was every trainee pet’s worst nightmare. He wouldn’t go there, he wouldn’t. He clawed at the walls, the metal doorframe, wrapped his fingers around the chain link at the front of his cell and clung until the wire fencing cut into his fingers. His blood made it slippery but he wouldn’t let go. One of them brought a baton down on his hands and he wailed. When they threatened to do it again, and break both his forearms, he finally let go.

****

The hole was nothing but a pitch black metal room. A storage container of some sort, or maybe just a large dumpster repurposed for the use. They would throw you in, slam the door shut, and then it was nothing but you and a black so deep you couldn’t see your own hands.

He slammed his body against the walls until his ears rang from the metallic clangs that reverberated around the room. He couldn’t do this again, the last time… he’d gone half mad.

He wouldn’t cry, the fear was too big to cry. It was larger than his tear ducts and it couldn’t get out that way. He couldn’t risk the loss of the moisture in any case. He had two bottles of water to last him for… however long they planned to leave him.

He paced for a while, one hand on the wall to keep himself steady in the dark. Four steps, five steps, four steps, two steps—cross the door—two more steps. Around and around.

The worst thing about the Hole was the conductive metal. It heated up so much during the day that by the afternoon it hurt to touch the walls and floor. It became so overheated that it felt like the air was sizzling, too thick to enter his lungs properly, pressing on his head until he felt like he’d burst. He laid on his back, tried to keep his bare legs and arms off the floor, so the barrier of his shirt and shorts was between him and the metal. The black swam around him in dizzying eddies as he sweltered and sweated.

Sebastian. Seb. Bas. Sebastian Rogers. That’s me, that’s me, that’s who I am. They’re punishing me just for remembering.

The dark and the heat made his angry behaviour seem even more pitiful. He could have just kept his name to himself, and done what they asked, and he wouldn’t be in this mess.

Relapse, they’d called it as they talked to each other. So he just had to get better again and then they’d let him out.

Getting better probably meant forgetting, letting it go. He wouldn’t let it go, he’d just tuck it safely away where no-one else could touch it. He’d just pretend, and they’d let him go back to his cell.

The day passed and he waited in trepidation for the night. For the temperature to drop until the walls felt like ice, instead of fire. In the few hours in between too hot and too cold he drank some water, and chose a corner to piss in, and then curled up and tried to conserve body heat.

There wouldn’t be much chance to sleep except in the dusk and early morning, when it was neither too hot, nor too cold. He tried, but it wouldn’t come, there was a buzzing below his skin that wouldn’t quit.

Probably something in the water.

He did cry then, a few dry-heaving sobs that turned to yelling, and more pounding on the door. The silence and stillness were deafening. He tap-tap-tapped on the floor just to hear something. Tapped the syllables of his name until it started to sound annoying and repetitive and he stopped.

He drummed out random beats and whimpered and groaned as he started to see white and colourful spots appear in the dark. They’d coalesce into other things before long, and he didn’t want to see; he pressed his hands over his eyes so that he wouldn’t.

Two cycles of day and night—blistering heat followed by icy cold— passed before they came for him, and he was delirious and grateful. Ready to lie and say he didn’t want a name at all, they could take it, he wouldn’t fight. He was willing to do whatever it took. But they didn't give him chance. They strapped him down in the treatment room and attached little nodes to his head and his body and forced round after round of shocks through his system. Pumped electricity into his brain and his nerves in concentrated shocks that made him disoriented and forgetful, stole his memory of where he was and why, for long minutes at a time.

After that he realised that they weren’t giving him a choice, they would take his unruly behaviour from him, not offer him the chance to give it up—they would make him good.

They dumped him back in the Hole, with fresh water, two packets of insubstantial food-paste, and the urine cleaned out. Still trembling from the aftershocks he crawled into a corner and clung to his meager rations. The water tasted funny, and he sipped it knowing it would mix with the shocks and do more strange things to his memories.

Mind warped and body aching, he curled up and tried to remember what had got him in so much trouble in the first place. Something about a name…a person with a name that he wasn't supposed to know.

It barely mattered whose it was, he wished he'd never thought of it all.

Sebastian wasn't worth this. Nothing was worth this.

Twice more he went through the same routine—two days—shocks—two days. Memories obliterated until he was empty headed and dizzy and so very, very sorry.

When they finally dragged him limp and mostly unresponsive from the darkness, he waved weakly to the hallucinations that he left behind.

He was better, he would be better. They asked and he grovelled for the chance to prove it. He’d messed up so badly, but he’d do better. His mouth wouldn’t form real words, just mumbles and groans from a parched throat and numb, swollen lips that he’d bitten to keep from screaming in the void of the Hole.

It didn’t seem to bother them that he was incoherent, that he tried was enough. He cried onto their boots, clinging with fingertips to the concrete so he wouldn’t slip away.

He left more than hallucinations in the dark. He left his defiance, his angry stubborn will. He left his identity, buried under hot stale air, where it would never be seen again. Left it to rot in the dark, where it never served him any good. Abandoned his old self, and knew he was better off for it.

He was a pet, would always be, had always been; he was nothing else, remembered nothing else. The darkness up ate his name so thoroughly, so completely, that he never even knew he’d offered it up to be devoured.

#Kit's Story #dehumanization tw #conditioning tw #pet whump #box boy universe #noncon drugging #hallucinations whump #torture tw #solitary confinement whump #institutionalized whump #sensory deprivation #memory loss tw #identity erasure #people as pets #isolated whumpee #multiple whumpers #withholding food #I keep expecting someone to figure out how I came up with his full name and come into my inbox and call me out for being a dork xD #but it hasn't happened yet...

49 notes · View notes

living-on-kyoshi · 4 years ago

Text

reunited

anon: hi! i hope you're doing well! can i request a mai x f!reader where the reader is her childhood friend but ends up being part of the gaang, and during the last agni kai the reader get hits by azula's lightning and mai nurses the reader back to health? thank you!

pairings: mai x f!reader

warnings: reader has a wound but that’s all, mostly just sweet ol’ fluff and friendship hehe

a/n: tysm anon for this request! i’ve never written mai before so i hope i did her justice! she’s such an underrated character and this request was so nice because i headcanon her to be extremely gentle and caring. like i’d imagine no mattter how odd or painful the injury she’d know exactly how to take care of you and what to do without making you feel pain. so yeah haha i hope you enjoy reading this!

Y/N groaned as she opened her eyes and regained consciousness. Where am I? What happened? She looked around and observed her surroundings. The large room was ordained with traditional Fire Nation decorations and had ornate furniture. I’m at the palace? She rubbed her head as she began to sit up. She winced and held her stomach, suddenly remembering the lightning she took to it.

“No lightning today? What’s the matter? Afraid I’ll redirect it?!” Zuko shouted to Azula.

“Oh, I’ll show you lightning!” Azula shouted back as she began to form lightning between her fingertips. Thunder clapped in the sky as Zuko prepared himself for the attack. Y/N and Katara stood back on each side of him, watching the showdown between the siblings. Blue lightning glowed from Azula as she began to fire her lightning. Azula eyed Y/N, Katara and Zuko, then shot the bolt, aiming for Y/N. Zuko began to run to take the attack, jumping in between the lightning and Y/N. Y/N froze as the electricity headed towards her, her life flashing before her eyes.

Despite growing up in the Fire Nation, Y/N hated it and the war. Her father was a high ranking official in the Fire Nation army, so she held a high status throughout the nation. To her, the only good thing that came from this was her friendship with Mai. They met through their parents and instantly clicked. Through Mai, Y/N met Azula, Ty Lee, and Zuko. Mai and Y/N understood what it was like to be shut down simply to maintain the status of their families. When Mai’s father was sent to Omashu due to Fire Lord Ozai’s orders, Y/N saw this as an opportunity to leave the Fire Nation for good. With her best friend no longer there, Y/N felt like nothing was there for her at the Fire Nation. So she ran off to Ba Sing Sei, where she met Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph. Joining them gave her a sense of purpose in her life, something she felt she lost when Mai had to leave the Fire Nation Capital.

And now she was back at the Fire Nation Palace, watching two of her childhood friends battle against each other. All she wanted was to see Mai again one last time.

Zuko watched the lightning barely pass him, following it with his eyes as it headed directly to Y/N. The lightning hit straight in Y/N’s stomach, causing her to fall back. She shouted in pain as the lightning surged through her. She fell on her back, fading in and out of consciousness. Zuko and Katara ran over to her. Zuko knelt next to her, propping her head up.

“Y/N, I’m so sorry. Please stay with us, you’re gonna be okay.” Zuko cried in frustration and sadness. He pulled Y/N’s head into his chest, watching Katara fight his sister. Y/N groaned and pulled herself back, keeping her head in Zuko’s hands.

“Just please take care of Mai,” Y/N said, her voice shaky. Zuko was like an older brother to Y/N, and she saw how much he had changed since his banishment. She knew how much Mai loved Zuko, and Y/N trusted Zuko. With that, Y/N’s eyes shut. The last thing she saw was Zuko, begging her to remain conscious.

Y/N looked down at the wound on her stomach. It was bandaged up now, but the bandages looked old since her scar was peeking through the folds of her wrapping. She traced her fingers over it, opening the bandaids to reveal the giant scar.

“I don’t think you should be doing that,” a voice said. Y/N instantly recognized the voice, looking up at the doorway in relief. Mai leaned against the frame of the door, smiling. Y/N relaxed at the sight of her best friend, almost forgetting the pain in her stomach.

“Mai!” Y/N replied as she tried to get up to greet Mai. Wincing at the pain, she held her stomach as Mai came over and sat at the end of the bed to help her sit properly. Mai adjusted the pillows behind Y/N, guiding her to lean back comfortably. Y/N embraced her, Mai returning the hug. She pulled back to observe the wound.

“She hurt you pretty badly, didn’t she?” Mai said, sighing at her friend’s injury. Mai traced her fingers lightly over the bandages, careful not to put any pressure. Y/N shrugged her shoulders.

“You know Azula,” Y/N replied, pressing her lips together. Mai got up and brought the aid kit from the dresser and sat at the bed. She began removing the old bandaging. The two sat together in a comfortable silence. Y/N had so much she wanted to say to Mai, it had been so long since the two had seen each other. But in that moment, she just wanted to revel in the company of being with her best friend.

“Do you know what’s going to happen to her?” Y/N asked quietly as Mai finished removing the old bandage. Regardless of all the pain Azula had caused Mai and Y/N, there was somehow still a smidge of concern for what would happen to her. Mai shook her head in response, looking up at Y/N.

“It doesn’t matter right now, I’m just glad you’re okay.” Mai replied, “I thought I’d never see you again. I missed you.” Y/N smiled at Mai.

“I missed you too, Mai.” Y/N said, resting her hand on Mai’s. They both looked down at the wound on Y/N’s stomach. “It looks a lot better than I thought.”

“Katara used her water bending to heal it as much as she could, but it’s still going to leave a scar.” Mai replied as she began applying cream to it. “She said this cream would help too.” Mai continued to apply the cream, keeping her movements as gentle as she could. Once she finished, she began wrapping a new bandage on the wound.

“Thank you, Mai.” Y/N said, as she hugged her again this time tighter. Mai was caught off guard, but still returned the hug.

“Of course, Y/N.” Mai replied as they broke the hug. Mai smiled at Y/N. “I’m just glad to be reunited with my best friend.”

“Me too.” Y/N said. She sighed in relief and joy, the war had finally ended and she had her best friend back.

thank you for reading!

#atla #avatar the last airbender #mai #atla mai #mai atla #mai x reader #mai x y/n #mai x f!reader #atla fic

24 notes · View notes

newstfionline · 5 years ago

Text

Headlines

SpaceX capsule and NASA crew make 1st splashdown in 45 years (AP) Two NASA astronauts returned to Earth on Sunday in a dramatic, retro-style splashdown, their capsule parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico to close out an unprecedented test flight by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company. It was the first splashdown by U.S. astronauts in 45 years, with the first commercially built and operated spacecraft to carry people to and from orbit. The return clears the way for another SpaceX crew launch as early as next month and possible tourist flights next year. Test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken rode the SpaceX Dragon capsule back to Earth less than a day after departing the International Space Station and two months after blasting off from Florida. The capsule parachuted into the calm gulf waters about 40 miles off the coast of Pensacola, hundreds of miles from Tropical Storm Isaias pounding Florida’s Atlantic coast. “Welcome back to planet Earth and thanks for flying SpaceX,” said Mission Control from SpaceX headquarters. More than an hour after splashdown, the astronauts emerged from their capsule on the deck of a recovery ship, both signaling a thumbs-up as they headed for medical exams.

Students return to campus (AP) The first wave of college students returning to their dorms aren’t finding the typical mobs of students and parents. What they found Friday were strict safety protocols and some heightened anxiety amid a global pandemic where virus infections are growing in dozens of states. North Carolina State University staggered the return of its students over 10 days and welcomed the first 900 students to campus, where they were greeted Friday by socially distant volunteers donning masks and face shields. Elon University in North Carolina, mailed testing kits to all 7,000 students ahead of their arrival in a few weeks. Maine’s Colby College will be testing students before they arrive and then three times a week for the first two weeks on campus. They’ll be tested twice a week after that, until the semester ends. The University of Rhode Island is scaling back campus housing to abide by distancing requirements, causing a scramble for some students. “Just like the rest of the world, we have to figure out how to carry on,” said Betsy Flanagan, who was sending her freshman son, Arch, off to college. “This virus isn’t going away and it’s going to be with us for quite a while, so we all have to figure out how to safely exist and that includes continuing to educate our future.”

Face masks are thwarting even the best facial recognition algorithms, study finds (CNET) It turns out face masks aren’t just effective at preventing the spread of airborne diseases like COVID-19—they’re also successful at blocking facial recognition algorithms, researchers say. In a report published Monday, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology found that face masks were thwarting even the most advanced facial recognition algorithms. Error rates varied from 5% to 50%, depending on an algorithm’s capabilities.

How the pandemic and a broken unemployment system are upending people’s lives (Washington Post) He had five days to move out of the house in Brightwood Park, and now Daniel Vought stood looking at the plastic crates stacked in the living room holding his things. T-shirts. Power cords. Pokémon cards and stuffed animals. His beloved guitar—a Gibson Explorer electric—still hung on the wall. He figured it would be safer staying behind. A new housemate was coming, one who could actually pay $800 a month for the room Vought, 30, had lived in rent-free since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the Georgetown bar where he worked. For four months, his unemployment benefits application had been snared in red tape at the D.C. Department of Employment Services, a black hole of unanswered emails, phone holds and automated voice messages offering delays instead of answers. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people in the nation’s capital have been sucked down the same confusing abyss. Through July 29, the employment office has fielded more than 133,000 claims, nearly five times the number processed in all of 2019. In the meantime, the end of July meant the end of the initial round of federal emergency pandemic assistance. Republicans and Democrats in Congress are deadlocked over the scope of a second wave of federal help. No matter what that future assistance looks like, for people like Vought, still waiting for benefits from the spring and living without a financial cushion, the damage has been done. People pushed into poverty by the coronavirus pandemic could face years of increased dependence on government help, experts say, and greater housing insecurity and homelessness. A single mother with another baby due this summer found herself choosing between buying food or paying the rent. A former D.C. police officer spent months on a relative’s sofa, unable to find work or collect unemployment so he could find his own housing.

Coronavirus pandemic causes another health concern—closed public restrooms (Washington Post) When courier Brent Williams makes his daily deliveries around the city here, he runs into one persistent problem: There’s almost nowhere to use the restroom. Most public buildings are closed under the pandemic, and restaurants and coffee shops that have shifted to carryout service won’t let him use their facilities. “It’s hard to find any place where I can use the restroom,” said Williams, speaking outside a library in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood that has reopened its restrooms to the public. The library is one of five citywide to have opened their doors, and other parts of the city have almost no options for those who need to relieve themselves or wash their hands. The lack of restrooms has become an issue for delivery workers, taxi and ride-hailing drivers and others who make their living outside of a fixed office building. For the city’s homeless, it’s part of an ongoing problem that preceded covid-19. “It’s gone from bad to worse,” said Eric, who lives in an encampment near Interstate 5. (Eric asked to be identified by only his first name.) “It’s definitely much, much harder.”

A weakened Tropical Storm Isaias lashes virus-hit Florida (AP) Bands of heavy rain from Isaias lashed Florida’s east coast Sunday while officials dealing with surging cases of the coronavirus kept a close watch on the weakened tropical storm. Isaias was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm Saturday afternoon, but was still threatening to bring heavy rain and flooding as it crawled just off Florida’s Atlantic coast. Upper-level winds took much of the strength out of Isaias, said Stacy Stewart, senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm also slowed down considerably.Authorities closed beaches, parks and virus testing sites, lashing signs to palm trees so they wouldn’t blow away. DeSantis said the state is anticipating power outages and asked residents to have a week’s supply of water, food and medicine on hand. Officials wrestled with how to prepare shelters where people can seek refuge from the storm if necessary, while also safely social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus.

Latin America coronavirus death toll surges past 200,000 (Reuters) The death toll in Latin America from the novel coronavirus passed 200,000 on Saturday night, a Reuters tally showed, underlining the region’s status as one of the global epicenters of the pandemic that is testing governments to the limit. Apart from the United States, Brazil and Mexico have racked up more fatalities from the virus than any other country, and together they account for around 70% of the regional death toll. Both have struggled to balance the need to curb the spread of the virus with restrictive safety measures while trying to reopen their economies, which have been battered by the crisis. Other countries in Latin America are also battling to hold the coronavirus at bay, and the region breached the 200,000 mark after Peru registered another 191 fatalities.

Indian police crackdown on illegal liquor suppliers after 86 die (Reuters) Indian police raided rural hamlets and made arrests to break up a bootlegging cartel on Sunday, after 86 people died from consuming illegally-produced alcohol this week in the northwestern state of Punjab, officials said.

Victoria state declares disaster, night curfew (AP) The premier of Australia’s hard-hit Victoria state has declared a disaster among sweeping new coronavirus restrictions across Melbourne and elsewhere from Sunday night. An evening curfew will be implemented across Melbourne from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Premier Daniel Andrews says the state of disaster proclamation gave police greater power. He says 671 new coronavirus cases had been detected since Saturday, including seven deaths. It comes among a steadily increasing toll in both deaths and infections over the past six weeks in Victoria. Melbourne residents will only be allowed to shop and exercise within 5 kilometers (3 miles) of their homes. All students across the state will return to home-based learning and child care centers will be closed.

Israel’s Netanyahu rails at media over protests against him (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday railed at swelling protests against his rule, saying they were egged on by a biased media that distorts facts and cheers on the demonstrators. Netanyahu has faced a wave of protests in recent weeks, with demonstrators calling for the resignation of the long-serving leader, who is on trial for corruption charges. They’ve also panned his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Netanyahu has painted the protests as dens of “anarchists” and “leftists” out to topple “a strong right-wing leader.” The protests have largely been peaceful. In some cases they have ended with clashes between demonstrators and police. In others, small gangs of Netanyahu supporters and individuals affiliated with far-right groups have assaulted demonstrators.

#headlines #news

1 note · View note

uberclimb-blog · 5 years ago

Text

60 Hurricane Safety Tips: Learn What To Do Before, During & After A Hurricane

Introduction

A hurricane also known as a typhoon (in Indian / Pacific Ocean) is a large storm. It typically is identified by a low-pressure center around which there is high speed storm system, high winds together with thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rains. Countries with major coast lines are especially at rise of such storms. They tend to occur every year.

At the focal point of hurricane, air sinks instead of rises. For a suitably strong storm, the air may sink over a layer deep enough to smother cloud formation, in this way making a clear region also called an "eye" of the storm.

Hurricanes take time to develop, usually a few days or more. They typically begin as thunderstorms then become stronger and stronger and grow in size into large scale weather disturbances.

Hurricanes are effectively followed and checked by climate satellites & weather aircraft due to their regularity and potential for destructive damage. In this way, weather agencies are constantly monitoring hurricane movements. Hence if you are in an affected area, it’s wise to keep up to date with latest warnings.

Hurricanes are defined by 5 categories

Category

Wind Speed (mph)

Damage

74-95

Very dangerous winds will produce some damage

96-110

Extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage

111-129

Devastating damage will occur

130-156

Catastrophic damage will occur

>157

Catastrophic damage will occur

Category 1: 74–95 mph . Very dangerous winds will produce some damage

Category 2: 96–110 mph . Very dangerous winds will produce some damage

Category 3: 111–129 mph . Devastating damage will occur

Category 4: 130–156 mph . Catastrophic damage will occur

Category 5: >157 mph . Catastrophic damage will occur

Countries Affected

According to the US NOARA the main countries with most hurricane strikes since 1970 are:-

· United States

· China

· Philippines

· Japan

· Mexico

· Taiwan

· Vietnam

· Australia

· Madagascar

· Cuba

Other Countries

· Mexico – Western coast

· New Zealand

The main Caribbean islands that are struck by hurrianes on regular basis are:-

· Island of Abaco

· Saba, Netherland Antilles

· Grand Bahama, Bahama

· Habana, Cuba

· Key West, USA

· St. Eustatius, Netherland Antilles

· Nevis, West Indies

· Bimini, Bahamas

· Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas

· Tortola, British Virgin Islands

· St. Maarten/St. Martin

Hurricane Season

Northern Hemisphere - May 1st to November 30th for the Atlantic and the Caribbean each year, and the Eastern Pacific hurricane season starts in mid-May.

Southern Hemisphere - Seasons are the opposite of those in the northern, of course, and their hurricane season peaks in March and April.

To help your preparation below are some tips. This is not meant to be exhaustive but more of a guide:-

Before Hurricane Impact

1. Most importantly keep up to date with latest weather updates Useful to have a portable (battery/crank up) radio in case of power failure caused by the hurricane.

2. Check and ensure everyone is accounted for including pets. Also that they know what to do.

3. You could, if you have the funds/space consider purchasing a back up generator with full tank if fuel and a reserve fuel on hand.

4. Prepare for flooding with sandbags, and suitable stock of brooms, mops squeegees, and other absorbents to help remove water and other deposits.

5. If your have trees in your garden or grounds, consider trimming or remove large trees that could fall and damage your or your neighbouring properties.

6. Prior to a storm remove patio furniture, yard decorations and anything not securely fastened.

7. If your child’s school or child care center is in an area at risk from hurricanes, find out how its emergency plans address hurricanes.

8. Inside you home ensure you have enough supplies including spare batteries, first aid kit. Attach tape over windows to prevent any shattering.

You can find suitable types of first aid kits at https://www.uberclimb.com/gear/First-Aid

9. On the exterior of your home, remove/tie down any potential loose objects. Also, close all your home windows and doors.

10.Install permanent shutters to protect windows, doors and skylights from flying debris and wind. You could also, board up windows/doors if required.

11.Strengthen your garage door by replacing it with a pressure-rated model or install a bracing system to prevent the door from failing.

12.If you have to evacuate, ensure all members of your family are accounted for. Check you have full tank of fuel and familiarise with evacuation route & destination. Evacuate as soon as possible when you receive an evacuation notice or you feel in immediate danger.

13.When moving outside avoid potential dangerous places. Especially avoid places where the riverbed is high or close to other waterways. Also, avoid areas likely to have landslides or flooding.

14.Normally, it is advisable to stay indoors whenever possible. Try and avoid venturing outdoors if not necessary. There could be flying debris and other hazards caused by the hurricane.

15.Try and avoid beaches where water can quickly flood in. Also best to avoid harbours areas/, river mouths. These will be venerable at at high tide/high water conditions such as caused by hurricanes.

16.It also advisable to stay away from low lying coastal areas as tides will be much higher and waves much stronger at full tide. Levee breaks also cause serious disaster.

If you are on or near alluvial areas be extra wary. These have increased risks of flooding. Exercise extreme caution because deltas (made of sediment carried by the river and deposited at the mouth of it) and floodplains (region made of accumulated sand carried by regular flooding) can easily be swamped.

18.Also note that river basins and dry riverbeds can also present a serious/life threatening danger of flooding during storms, hence avoid venturing there or leave the area as soon as possible.

Avoid developed land as this is normally made by breaking up hillsides and hence may contain unstable soil and terrain and therefore weaker ground. These areas may slide when downpours or water flooding loosen the ground.

20.Torrential downpour caused by hurricane weather s may cause mountain landslides, and alluvial cones at the foot of a mountain may especially vulnerable. Be especially wary of steep sloping lands of greater than 30° angles and heights of more than 5m may experience a landslide when there are heavy rains.

If you live in mobile home it is safer to go to a shelter.

22. Be sure to fully charge all mobile phones and other battery powered devices. Also, print out emergency contact information in case you lose power.

23.Stock up on groceries, water, medications, and any other necessities such as infant supplies to avoid the need for travel during the storm. You could storage water in a suitable container. One option can be found at

https://www.uberclimb.com/gear/hyrdration/naturehike-food-grade-water-container-large-capacity

24.Ideally purchase appliances that come with built in surge protection or consider a surge protected sockets power strips to plug your electrical devices.

25.Have some emergency cash in case you need to purchase items in areas where there is no power.

26.Check and repair (if necessary) roof drains, gutters and gaps in walls.

27.Remove TV and radio antennas as well satellite dishes from roof areas.

28.Ensure that any storm drains, culverts and catch basins are cleared of debris.

29.Prior to evacuation, bring identification, insurance papers, and other important documents for every family member in your family/group. Obey all special traffic signs and law enforcement orders. Bring adequate water, snacks, cash, and medications.

30.Consider creating a family communications plan that can help ensure that everyone knows how to connect and where to meet during an emergency.

31.Identify a family member or friend to serve as an out-of-state contact so all family members have a single point of contact. Write down or capture two contact methods for this individual such as telephone, cell phone, e-mail address, or social media. Determine safe places where your family can go for protection or to reconnect if separated.

32.Consider signup with American Red Cross Safe and Well social media app. Learn about the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System.

33.Remember, texting may work best before, during, and after a disaster as a text message may be more likely to reach the recipient as it requires far less bandwidth to send than making a phone call.

34.Make sure that everyone, including children, knows how and when to call 9-1-1 for emergency help. Remember, only call 9-1-1 if there is a life-threatening emergency.

35.Store at least one emergency contact under the names “In Case of Emergency” or “ICE” for all mobile phones and devices. This will help someone identify your emergency contact if needed.

36.Those with special medical needs such as oxygen, dialysis etc should go to special needs shelters only. These typically only provide medical monitoring and limited medical care. Bring a caregiver if possible.

It is good preparation to build a storm shelter or tornado safe room. The safest place may be a small, interior, windowless room such as a closet or bathroom on the lowest level of the structure.

38.If possible ensure you have appliance thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer.

Where possible, store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of (contaminated) water in case of flooding.

Purchase flood insurance in advance of the storm.

41.Create a disaster preparedness kit filled with critical supplies, including important documents and medications. You can find a list here.

42.It is advisable to keep your pets in a designated area in your home. Ensure to place enough water and food in that area. If your pet has special care needs, make sure to provide it. Animals, just like humans, can also feel scared.

During The Hurricane

43.Keep up-to-date on weather status especially in your area.

44.Shut down all gas fired equipment and shut off main gas values.

45.Conserve your cell phone battery by reducing the brightness of your screen, placing your phone in “airplane” mode, and closing unnecessary apps that you do not need.

46.Shut down all non-critical and non-essential electrical equipment.

47.Stay in a secure room and away from windows.

48.If your power goes out, report your outage immediately to your local power company.

Be aware, it typically takes about two feet of rushing water to carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and trucks.

After Hurricane

Ensure that the storm has completely passed before venturing outside.

Also, stay away from downed power lines, flooded areas, and debris. Treat all fallen wires and anything touching them as though they are energized/live. Immediately report downed lines to your power company.

52.If your power is cut, listen to your local radio stations for information and instructions.

If you are encountering hot weather, close drapes and blinds on the sunny side of your house, drink plenty of fluids, take your pets to a cool basement location, and go to an air-conditioned civic center, mall, or library if necessary to stay cool.

54.Remain patient. Every electric company has a detailed plan for restoring electrical service after a power outage.

If possible, try and turn your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting. Also, to help ensure your food will keep longer, try and minimise opening the fridge door as much as possible if the power goes out.

56.Check if your local community has a hurricane response plan.

57.Do not move seriously injured individuals. There may be falling debris even more likely if you have high rise buildings.

58.Provide search and rescue personnel with last known location and descriptions of any missing victims.

59.Clear out roof drains, and remove debris from roofs.

60.Check refrigerated items from spoilage if there has been a power failure.

On entering your home do an inspection of every room. However, be careful in entering every room. Keep a lookout for reptiles or other wild animals that may have been driven by floodwaters to higher ground. If you happen to find one, don’t try and handle the animal - instead contact local wildlife authority or agency.

You can find other useful articles at

https://www.uberclimb.com/index.php?route=extension/d_blog_module/category&category_id=1

Useful Sites

North America

The Hurricane Watch Net

https://www.hwn.org

Red Cross

http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/hurricane

DHS Disaster & Emergancy Advice

http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes

National Hurricane Center

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ready.php

Asia

Philippines

https://www.pgyc.org/weather.php

Japan

https://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/

Taiwan

https://www.cwb.gov.tw/V7e/prevent/typhoon/ty.htm

Vietnam

http://www.nchmf.gov.vn/web/en-US/43/Default.aspx

Australia

http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/

1 note · View note

purocleanmyrtle01 · 3 years ago

Text

How to Stay Safe During a Flood: Important Tips for Families

Flash floods can be a serious threat to you and your home. Whether due to bacteria, mold, electricity, or rapid streams, they can pose a danger to the health and safety of those affected by its harmful waters.

For example, you can contract a disease by eating or drinking contaminated products. Floodwaters can inadvertently cause an outbreak of bacteria like E. coli or salmonella in food during a power surge. There’s also a risk of skin infection if you come in contact with floodwater.

Here are the most common hazards during and after a home flood caused by flash flooding — and tips to stay safe from them.

Before a Flood

Here’s how to help keep your family and your home safe before a flash flood occurs:

Prepare an emergency kit including first-aid supplies, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, and cash.

Make a family communication plan. Choose an out-of-state friend or relative as your “check-in” person.

Know your area’s flood risk. Check if your home is located within FEMA’s flood zone.

If you reside in a particularly high-flood risk zone, raise the air conditioner, water heater, and electric panel.

Review your flood insurance. Does it cover the contents of your home? If you don’t have flood insurance, consider acquiring it soon, as it goes into effect 30 days after purchasing it.

During a Flood Watch or Warning

If a flood watch or a flood warning has been issued, follow these tips:

Be alert about current weather conditions and forecasts. Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for flood status updates.

Prepare your home. Move important items to higher levels. Store valuables in waterproof containers. Anchor heavy outdoor objects like grills and propane tanks.

Fill up your car. Keep your gas tank full in case you need to evacuate.

Keep cash on hand. In case ATMs are unavailable, have cash ready.

Practice your family communication plan. Review it with family members so they know what to do.

Know where to go. If directed by local authorities, evacuate immediately to higher ground or stay on high ground.

If you have to leave your home, turn off all utilities at the main switches or valves if instructed to do so. This will help prevent further damage and safety hazards.

Stock up on supplies. Ensure you have enough nonperishable food and water for at least three days in your emergency kit.

Contact local authorities to find out where you can get sandbags or other flood-protection materials.

Keep immunization records accessible or track the year of your most recent tetanus vaccination. Immunization records should be kept in a waterproof container.

If you can’t evacuate, go to your highest possible floor since floodwater rises quickly. If time is short, get to the top floor, attic, or roof.

Store exterior items inside, such as lawn furniture and trash cans, or keep them secured.

How to Prevent Infections During a Flood

If your home was flooded, there is a chance it could be contaminated with sewage. This can lead to infection, so follow these precautions accordingly:

Throw away food that has come in direct contact with floodwater, including bottled drinks and products in jars, or any food that looks and smells unusual. If intact, canned goods may be washed and disinfected.

Discard perishable foods, like meat or eggs, that have been left in temperatures above 41 degrees Fahrenheit for more than four hours.

All medicines, cosmetics, and other personal toiletries that have come into contact with floodwater should be discarded.

If you’ve made contact with floodwater, practice good hygiene: wash hands frequently with soap and water.

Don’t let children play in floodwater or with toys contaminated by floodwater.

If you have an open skin wound, keep it clean and cover it with a waterproof bandage, and avoid floodwater exposure.

Avoid Rapid-Flowing Waters

If a flash flood has inundated local roads in your area, follow these safety tips:

Don’t drive through flowing water, even if it’s just a few inches deep. Your vehicle may break down or get swept away.

Monitor road conditions and obey closure signs that indicate impacted roads. Be aware of road hazards such as mud, building debris, tree limbs, and potholes.

Never walk through flowing water. Rapidly moving water can be deadly, even if you can swim.

Beware of Respiratory Hazards

Tips to avoid respiratory hazards include:

Avoid areas with mold growth. Mold can form within 24–48 hours of a flood. Mold must be removed before moving back to your home. For mold and water damage cleanup, hire a professional damage restoration company, such as PuroClean.

Only run gasoline, propane, and diesel-powered equipment in well-ventilated outdoor areas to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Stay away from building materials that may contain lead, such as painted surfaces and pipes.

Be aware of asbestos poisoning. Don’t enter areas where asbestos may have been used as construction material.

Steer Clear of Chemical Exposure

When returning to your home after a flood, be aware of potential chemical hazards that may have been caused by floodwaters.

First, don’t move propane tanks yourself, as they may cause a fire or explode. Call the state fire marshal’s office immediately.

If you see car batteries in floodwaters, don’t get close to them to avoid electrical shock. Also, beware of any acid that may have spilled from a damaged car battery.

How to Avoid Electrical and Gas Dangers

Flash floods also bring electrical and gas dangers. Here’s how to stay safe from them:

Never touch electrical lines, wires, equipment, and fixtures during and after a flood. Report fallen power lines.

Don’t walk or drive through floodwater if downed power lines are in it.

Never enter your home if the main power switch was not turned off before flooding. Wait until a qualified electrician has declared your home safe before re-entering.

Evacuate your home immediately if you detect or smell gas and notify the gas company.

Don’t Forget About Debris

In the wake of a flood, all kinds of debris may be potentially dangerous. Watch out for broken glass, construction or demolition debris, and tree limbs.

For Water Damage Restoration, Call the PuroClean flood cleanup experts!

Flash floods are devastating events. The aftermath of a flood can be just as dangerous as the flood itself. That’s why it’s important to follow these flood safety tips and take immediate precautions.

If your home has been flooded, call PuroClean for water damage restoration services. We have the experience and expertise to quickly and safely remove water and restore your home to its pre-flood condition. Visit our website or call us at (800)775–7876 to connect with your local PuroClean office today.

To learn more about home flooding safety, check out what to do after a basement flood and how to protect your home from spring flooding.

0 notes

texas-electricity-ratings · 4 years ago

Text

Watch Out This Hurricane Season in Texas

It’s not IF a hurricane hits Texas, it’s when. Learn how to prepare and if it could affect your Texas electric rates.

In Texas, June 1 is the beginning of hurricane season. With Texas so often pounded by these storms, residents want to know what to expect this summer. According to several weather bureaus, Summer 2021 looks like it will be an “above-normal” hurricane season. Chief among them, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted “an above-normal season is most likely (60% chance), with the possibility of it being extremely (aka hyper- ) active.”

2021 NOAA Prediction Seasonal Average 1981-2010 NEW Seasonal Average 1991-2020 Number of named storms (winds 39 mph+) 13-20 12 14.4 Storms becoming hurricanes (winds 74 mph+) 6-10 6 7.2 Major hurricanes (Cat. 3, 4 or 5, winds 111 mph+) 3-5 3 3.2

Will Texas Face Another ‘Hyper-cane’ Season?

What’s unsettling is that this forecast seems terribly similar to last year’s Texas hurricane forecast. That season eventually produced a record 30 tropical storms. That’s largely due to the fact that similar circumstance are work again. As of May 13, the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been in a neutral phase. That is, not warm enough to be an El Niño and not cold enough to be La Niña. To be clear, El Niño or La Niña don’t actually prevent or cause hurricanes. Rather, both are phenomena in the Pacific Ocean that shifts atmospheric circulation (known as the Walker Circulation). El Niños make Atlantic tropical storms less-likely to occur while La Niñas make them more-likely.

During ENSO Neutral phases ( or “La Nada”), other global weather patterns can influence Atlantic storm development. Lately, one crucial factor has been Atlantic sea surface temperatures (SSTs).

La Nada is a Big Hurricane Factor

Since 2016, water temperatures in the Atlantic Basin have exerted marked influence during La Nada. The past five years have seen active storm seasons due to the influence of ENSO Neutral conditions in the Pacific:

2016 — ENSO Neutral conditions emerges late May. Atlantic SSTs remain cool until August. Only then the hurricane season grows very active. Remnants of Hurricane Newton bring heavy rains to western Texas.

2017 — ENSO Neutral conditions emerge in May. Warm Atlantic waters power an extremely active season. Hurricane Harvey hits Texas in August.

2018 – Even though ENSO Neutral conditions lasted from April to September, a bitterly cold winter kept Atlantic SSTs cold. And excessively dry wind coming off the Sahara helped quash storm formation until August 31. September through October sees 11 storms, 6 becoming hurricanes.

2019 — ENSO Neutral conditions emerge during first week of August. The hurricane season roars back, becoming the fourth consecutive above-average season. A total of 17 storms from August to November, 5 become hurricanes. Tropical Storm Imelda lands near Freeport, TX in September and brings heavy rain.

2020 — ENSO Neutral conditions at year’s start. Atlantic SSTs at record levels in March. Record breaking hurricane season develops 30 named storms, 14 become hurricanes. In July, Hurricane Hanna lands near Port Mansifeld, TX, $1.1 billion in damage. Hurricane Laura knocks out power in Orange County in August. Tropical Storm Beta flooded southern parts of Houston in September.

An Above-Normal Hurricane Season

This year began with a La Niña. The Arctic blast made this past winter was memorably chilly. However, the big chill was a separate phenomena from the typical La Niña weather pattern. And in spite of all the cold winter in North America, Atlantic SSTs stayed average and have since warmed. By mid-May, the La Niña faded to La Nada.

So, once again, the ideal conditions of calm winds and warm water seem to be in place throughout the Atlantic basin. Low-pressure waves moving west the coast of Africa will have better chances to build into tropical depressions. And these potentially could spin up into bigger storm systems.

Hurricane Season and Your Summer Electricity Rates

The first thing any Texas electricity customer should do to inspect your AC system. Or get it done by a professional. ERCOT is anticipating record-breaking electric demand this summer due to expected hot and dry conditions and the U.S. economy recovering. While that sounds dire, there’s some good news. ERCOT announced that it will have a 15.7% reserve margin this summer. That’s around 86,862 MW to cover an expected peak demand of 77,144 MW. To compare, last year’s reserve was about 12.6%.

That said, summer electricity rates still face a lot of uncertainty. Natural gas generates a significant chunk of Texas power. Even though renewables are expected to produce more this summer, natural gas production is being held back. The EIA’s STEO estimates that average summer residential electricity prices are expected to rise by 2.92%. That price climb could get worse as natural gas power burn is increased to meet higher electricity consumption. To that end, ERCOT has considered several scenarios in its summer plan where generation resources might strain to cover anticipated demand. Of course, energy rates could surge if a storm shuts down natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico.

So, if you’re currently in a monthly variable rate or prepaid arrangement, seriously consider switching to a fixed rate plan as soon as possible to avoid paying a screaming-high electric bill this summer.

When Is The Next Hurricane Going To Hit Texas?

No one knows. Fortunately, high pressure systems dominating the Atlantic Basin this Memorial Weekend will keep things quiet. However, the weather will change. So, while no one knows when a hurricane WILL hit Texas, the waters in the Gulf are primed:

SSTs in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico are currently poking around 82°F. That’s the temperature that spawns tropical storms and sustains hurricanes.

NOAA predicts above-normal summer temperatures in Texas and the rest of the U.S. southern tier of states. That promises plenty of heat in the Gulf to spin up storms well into the fall.

Get Hurricane Ready Now!

Texas has suffered a number of direct hits from hurricanes in recent years. Because we want everyone to stay safe, we urge Texans to prepare to weather the worst now. Remember that it only takes one storm to create a disaster. Don’t wait for the wind and water to knock on your door.

Make a plan so your family knows for what to do when a tropical storm heads for Texas. Also, for the time being Covid-19 remains a public health threat. So if you’re not fully vaccinated, be sure to follow masking guidelines.

Create a Hurricane Safety Checklist to help your family track what supplies you’ll need if you choose to shelter in place.

Build your hurricane kit. Gather your supplies for everyone in your family. Don’t forget your pets!

Sheltering in place is an option up to a point because hurricane winds can be incredibly dangerous:

– Coastal areas are seeing higher and more devastating storm surges.

– When powerful hurricanes move far inland flooding.

– High winds can still cause enormous damage especially to trees and power lines. Your Texas electricity service could go out for hours or even days.

Gather essential stuff for your grab ‘n’ go bag. Everyone (yes, pets, too) should have their own grab ‘n’ go bag if you have to leave your home. Also take time to line up where you’ll go during an evacuation. Lastly, review and understand your Texas evacuation routes before you hit the road.

0 notes

commandercrouton · 7 years ago

Text

KogKag Week Prompt #2

Demons/Humans

Summary: I decided to do a different approach to the prompt, making Kagome a demon, and Kouga a human. Enjoy!

Kouga returned from his hunt early in the morning to find the village meeting in the center of town. He quickly dropped off the animal he killed in his tent, and rushed back to the meeting. He hoped the reason they were meeting was good. He was disappointed to discover the full moon had a blue ring around it as it reached the highest point in the sky. The water demon would need a sacrifice.

“How long will we sacrifice our children, our friends, our family to this cold hearted beast!?”

“We should fight her!”

“How can we fight a demon? She will destroy our homes and crops with floods. She will make sure fish avoid our traps. We will starve and die anyways if we do not please her!”

Kouga looked around his village and saw each villager trying to voice their own opinion whenever the dreaded blue ring appeared around the full moon. He was familiar with all their arguments, but it all ended the same. The village would succumb to pleasing the demon and sacrifice the person that was chosen. They could not risk losing an entire village for the pleasure of one’s safety.

He couldn’t stand to see one more family being ripped apart thanks to this demon. He rushed forward to the front of the crowd, and found himself facing the village leader.

“I volunteer myself to the water demon. I will go proudly for our village,” Kouga announced for all to hear. Mixed reactions were heard throughout the crowd. There were sighs of relief, and voices of disapproval. What would they do without the most gifted hunter their village had?

“It is a noble action to give yourself to the beast. Are you sure?” The village leader asked Kouga.

Kouga nodded in affirmation. He could not let the village know what he was truly planning. If he was going to kill this demon, he would need surprise on his side.

That night, Kouga was fitted in the finest silks their village had to offer.The many garments allowed him to hide his goraishi, the family heirloom passed from father to son. His long, unruly, black hair was smoothed and brushed into a fine ponytail. The village priest uttered a final prayer for Kouga’s soul before he was pushed into the icy waters.

Kouga fought the urge to survive and swim to reach the surface. The farther he sank in the lake, the darker it became. His lungs were begging for the relief of air, and he could feel himself losing consciousness. Kouga thought he saw a light in the distance, before everything went black.

Kouga slowly stirred into consciousness as he realized he wasn’t in the water anymore, and he could breathe again. He immediately coughed up water that resided in his lungs, and gasped hungrily for air.

“You’re up,” said a small voice next to him.

Kouga blearily opened his eyes and saw a little fox kit demon staring at him.

“The Lady of the castle wants to see you,” the fox kit continued. “Are you well enough to stand?”

The Lady of the castle? He must mean the water demon. Kouga knew this must be his only chance to slay the beast before he was killed. He may be a human, but he knew he could do it.

Kouga nodded and slowly stood. He looked at himself to see the fine silks his village dressed him in was replaced with fur clothing. It did do a better job of warming him in the icy depths of the lake, but he realized with sadness his weapon must have been lost in the depths as well.

The fox kit led Kouga through the hallways of the castle before they came upon a grand entrance to a massive throne room.

“Lady Kagome, I have brought the newest villager to you,” the fox kit announced, bowing to a figure sitting on the throne in front of him.

“Thank you Shippou. Please leave us,” Lady Kagome answered in a kind and authoritative voice. Shippou bowed gracefully, before he left, closing the door to the throne room, leaving the two alone.

Kouga looked at the petite figure sitting in the throne. He was surprised by how young and beautiful she was. She sat on a green throne that seemed to have grown from the plants that grew in the depths of the lake. Her dark hair was adorned with a water lily crown, which went well with her beautiful blue silk dress.

Kagome stood and walked from the throne to meet this newcomer directly. She could not help but notice how his gaze roamed over her body appreciatively. He was no doubt mesmerized by the silk dress she wore that was made from the waves of the lake itself. Each movement caused a ripple to run throughout her dress.

“Who are you, and why does your village continue to discard your human beings to my castle?” Lady Kagome demanded.

Kouga stood transfixed, shocked by the words the demon spoke. It must be a trap.

“Answer me,” she demanded.

“My name is Kouga, and our village does not discard humans to your realm. You demand them every blue moon! If we do not follow your command, you flood our village, and destroy our homes!” Kouga was shocked by how loud his voice came out.

Her laughter filled the air. It was sweet, and melodious, like a creek trickling over rocks. “I am not familiar with your human jokes, but I am sure this is what that must be,” she concluded. She smiled warmly at him, and Kouga felt his knees weaken.

“It is no joke. I am a sacrifice,” he stated weaker than he intended.

Horror and disgust formed on the water demon’s face as she realized what he spoke was truth. “I have never intended the village to discard their humans. Every one that has been sent here has been released and given gifts to live back in their human world. I may be a water demon, but I am no monster.”

Kouga watched her closely. “Prove it.”

Lady Kagome balked in response. “I will not. This is the third human that has been sent down here this season. My home is not waste for your humans to discard of unwanted villagers.”

Kouga watched her, disbelief still etched on his face. Lady Kagome did not know why his opinion of her mattered, but she found herself calling Shippou back in with the records he kept of every visitor she received.

“Shippou, please recite all human visitors that I have brought back to the castle, and what their outcome was. Tell no lies,” she commanded.

Shippou recited of old and young villagers, some that survived that fall in the lake, and some that did not. Kouga caught the look of sadness on Kagome’s face as Shippou spoke of a young girl who did not survive, no matter the efforts to save her. She was no older than five.

He continued to speak of villagers whom Kouga knew himself, but realized they only mentioned villagers from the last few years. He knew the village has been doing this since he was a child, and now he was a man of one and twenty.

“Pardon me, but how long have you resided in the lake?” he interrupted Shippou.

“I made this lake my home six years ago. My old home was polluted from blood and weapons of warring towns. I chose this home because it was far from battle,” Kagome answered.

Kouga knew that no new water demon announced their presence demanding the sacrifices as demons typically do. He must have been crazy, but he believed her.

“Lady Kagome, I request you make an appearance to the village, and explain to my village what has occurred, respectfully of course.” Kouga bowed.

“Will this stop your village from sending me humans to save?” She asked.

He nodded in response.

“Then I will do it. Kouga, please stand by my side, so they shall not doubt me.”

Lady Kagome grabbed Kouga’s hand, and he felt a surge of electricity shoot through him. He looked at this young woman, and saw kindness hidden by strength. Kouga found himself falling in love with this water demon. Kagome dropped an opaque stone that formed a bubble around the two. Kouga knew it was for his benefit, since he could not breathe underwater.

The two arose out of the water, shocking the villagers into a frenzy. Kogua saw the sun setting in the distance, and realized a day must have passed.

“I am the water demon, Lady Kagome, who resides in this lake. I beg of you, please do not send me sacrifices. I am a kind demon who chose this village because of the peacefulness. I was forced to leave my last home due to war. I vow I will not send floods to destroy your crops. I vow I will not let your village starve. If you heed my words, and believe in my honesty and truthfulness, I will be your guardian. I will protect your village, and all those who come to reside here. All I ask is you do not pollute my waters. Here is the man Kouga, the last man who you threw into my waters, left to drown in the bottom of the waters. I saved his life, and now I give him back to you. Let him attest to my truth.”

Kouga stepped forward and spoke to his small village. “Lady Kagome speaks the truth. She has only resided here for six years. Let us end the sacrifices. Let us end the separation of families. She means us no harm.”

The villagers were wary to believe the water demon, but they could not deny their own Kouga was standing there in flesh and blood.

“As a sign of faith, I will marry this human before me. As long as our children resides in this lake, and our home is treated with respect, your village need not worry,” Lady Kagome announced.

“I’m sorry, what?” Kouga asked her.

“We will marry.”

Kouga doubted what she said would come true, but the next week, he found himself standing on the edge of the lake, waiting for his bride to appear from the lake. When she emerged, the village leader resided over their ceremony, and the two were bonded. Kouga now had the lifespan of his mate. They loved each other for many years before they both succumbed to old age, leaving their children being to reside in the lake and watch over the village their father came from. When their children came of age to find their own homes, they chose which one was to stay. And so their family ruled the lake for centuries, while the tale of their water demon mother whom married a human man grew into legend that stayed with the village until the end of its days.

#kogkagweek #prompts #day 2 #demons/humans #kouga x kagome #koga x kagome #kogkag #kougkag #marissa writes #my fanfic

31 notes · View notes

divergentwithitsfeels · 5 years ago

Text

Viparspectra 600W LED Grow Light - Full 2019 Review

The Viparspectra 600 watt variant is one of the bestselling lights grow available on the market. I researched countless customers have contributed this Viparspectra grow light a review that was near perfect. Looking around the light marketplace, you do not find this thickness of admiration often with different lights.

After reading you'll be sure of whether you should decide on a Viparspectra 600 watt light grow or not.

Viparspectra is offering two variations from the 600W section. Those being PAR series and reflector series. The Viparspectra PAR series is a bit stronger but more pricey than the 600 watt reflector described below. I believe that the reflector series below is the value.

Thus, let us start with understanding this grow light and get answers to this question "Does it deserve a place in the list of best 600W Full spectrum LED Grow Lights or not?"

Viparspectra Brief Brand Overview:

Many people take comfort knowing they are doing business with a business. This is the case with Viparspectra. According to their site, they are the number 1 LED grow light reseller on Amazon. It seems to be authentic depending on the amount of testimonials on Viparspectra lights far outpacing.

Through more than 10 decades of development and research, Viparspectra has customized their increase light spectrum increase return while staying energy aware and to maximize plant growth. Viparspectra uses a three part assignment:

Increase yield per square foot,

Provide consistent premium quality crop production capability,

Decrease operating costs a pound of harvested product.

Viparspectra 600W Grow Light Design:

The Viparspectra Reflector 600W is a carefully engineered increase mild. It's a UL safety certified product, which makes it meets with safety standards including danger of casualty, fire, or electrical shock.

Viparspectra has not only kept your plants in mind, but your safety as well.

This grow light features a total of 120 LEDs at 5W each. High quality producers Epistar and Bridgelux manufactures these diodes.

The addition of this reflector design helps by ensuring all the light is reflected in the direction of the canopy, the strengthen the PPFD reading. Viparspectra claims PPFD raises up to 50% over non-reflector grow bulbs. It helps the Viparspectra 600w LED grow light to disperse light more evenly through the canopy.

If you are a gardener or growing your first harvest utilizing LED grow lights, then this Viparspectra LED grow light provides you the liberty to enlarge your grow space as soon as you get familiarized with growing.

You won't require a separate socket for a different grow panel since this includes daisy chaining feature. Daisy chaining permits you to plug the power cord from a different grow light into the back side of this light instead of putting all of your cords on precisely the socket with extension cords and surge protectors.

Viparspectra 600w Grow Light Spectrum:

That is a spectrum that is constructed LED grow light. The 12 ring spectrum was customized by Viparspectra more than 10 years for that which they think is optimal output. The spectrum includes infrared (IR) that helps your plants blossom in a timely manner. The spectrum leans a bit more toward the side that is blue, but it's a lot to successfully carry your crops from seed to harvest.

The shade of light generated by the 600W reflector of Viparspectra is purple and a sign of pink may be observed with bloom mode on.

This Viparspectra 600 watt reflector series includes switches that are different for Bloom only modes and Vegetation just. Many growers enjoy the convenience of having double mode switches included in the plan, When some manufacturers argue it is not a characteristic that is totally necessary.

Light Intensity (PPFD):

PPFD recorded by this grow panel in the elevation of 18″ is an impressive 820 uMol. Here's the image:

How can this reading pile up watt reflector grow lights we assessed? We saw PPFD readings of 520 and 660 umols in 18 inches and assessed two additional brands. People today seem to have figured out that the Viparspectra 600 watt LED grow light is better because both of the manufacturers not sold .

Coverage Area:

Having reflector design and a strong PPFD studying you will be able to find coverage .

This version will insure 3'x3′ of canopy during vegetation phase, and 2'x2′ of canopy during flowering phase. We like to say many others like to maintain their light closer and this is much more of an art than a science since some individuals are comfy hanging a bit higher.

These are the producer's claimed coverage at 22″ elevation, but most manufacturers hang 18 inches. I'd suggest hanging these but feel free to adjust based on your plants' response.

How a lot of these are required for a 4×4 develop tent?

I would recommend purchasing three of these in order to get sufficient coverage to get a 4×4 grow tent. Dependent on the PPFD readings above, you're really only getting light intensity out to two square feet. Therefore you'd want three.

With daisy chaining you'll be able to connect another grow mild, while it's another Viparspectra or even a cheap booster light to fill out a few additional inches.

Video Review:

G8LED 900 Watt LED Veg Flower Grow Light Unboxing, Review, PAR Testing

Here is a video showing what one grower managed to return from his solitary Viparspectra 600w LED grow light. An impressive grow!

youtube

Viparspectra 600w LED Grow Light -- Power Efficiency:

If you're new to develop their electricity consumption and lights, you will be delighted to know they're one of the most efficient. This 600 watt reflector show from Viparspectra is also effective. Power efficacy has been one of their main focuses and this mild brings just 260 watts from your outlet at full capacity. You use less during veg mode. This is in-line with the other brand I contrasted, although I think there room for improvement .

Viparspectra 600w LED Grow Light's Cooling Ability:

The Viparspectra 600W grow light provides a worry-free experience to you so far as cooling is concerned. There are two considerably sized lovers on the side, with ventilation slits along either side of the grow light. If you are using that HPS increase panels you may have undergone an unbelievable level of heating in your grow space, but that .

One concern that is common is fan noise level, so we researched what present owners had to say about this subject. Several made remarks saying the fans sound was negligible, not in any way, rather than louder on power that was mid than a house fan.

As far heat moves, does that the Viparspectra 600 watt LED reflector series develop light create heat, and will the fans handle it? All grow lights create some degree of warmth by character. Comparatively, LED grow lights create the warmth. A summary of heat opinions from owners of the specific Viparspectra 600 watt model are stating the light runs cool does not create much heat. Another individual with various lights said temperature fluctuation is caused by that this 600 watt model doesnt at all.

Competition -- What else is out there for the same price?

The Viparspectra is not the only light . It is a very low cost LED grow light using a fair quantity of competition. It has also existed for a little while, so some newer designs have surfaced. Below are two other LED grow lights serious thought should be given by you:

The Spider Farmer SF 1000 emits a white light spectrum gets the quantum board design, meaning it's fanless, and has light coverage and more even. In a price, you should consider this light.

The Mars Hydro TS 1000 can be a modern design with fanless design a white spectrum, and also a price that is similar to the Viparspectra 600w. Definitely make this LED grow portion of your search also.

Viparspectra Warranty - 3 years No Hassle:

Support things when you invest a hefty sum of your hard earned cash. Moreover, Viparspectra provides customer service for 3 years and reliable.

In case you are satisfied, they give a full money back guarantee if you don't feel quality or performance.

However, taking a look at the performance of this company it seems like the requirement of support is rare in their products.

Now in this Viparspectra 600W review, we'll have a quick look in itsPros and Disadvantages to receive a idea maybe not or whether it warrants a place in your grow space!

Pros And Cons Of Viparspectra 600W LED Grow Light:

Pros:

A full 12 Band spectrum including infrared

Comparatively high PPFD output

Reflector design

Great coverage ability

Perfect Replacement for 600w or 800w HPS mild

Good Power Consumption

Dual veg/bloom mode switches

Good on heating and heat dissipation

Highly Satisfied and Large Customer Base

Reliable Brand

Hassle Free Warranty

Cons:

Protection glasses, required to enter contact direct light.

No Timer, Not watertight

Viparspectra 600W - At a Glance

HPS Equivalence: 600W

Power Draw (Max): 269W±3%

Coverage (Veg): 3' x 3'

Coverage (Bloom): 2' x 2'

Input: AC100-240V

Dimensions: 15.3" X 12.8" X 3": 11.6lbs

Items in Viparspectra 600w LED Grow Light Box:

Includes several types of gear to make things simple for you.

It includes one Daisy chaining cord to extend another grow panel directly with this without worrying about socket increase light.

One hanging kit is provided to make setup of the light simple for you. Hook in four corners of this panel and then hang it on the handle of your room.

One user manual is also given in case you need to understand its functioning you'll be helped by it.

1 power cord is provided to connect this light with your power outlet.

Tips for Getting the Most Out Of Viparspectra 600W Grow Light

There are lots of tips that we'd love to share with you in this Viparspectra 600W review. We assure best possible performance out of the masterpiece to you.

Light isn't waterproof, and that is why it's advisable to keep it from draining water. It'll expand the lifeline of this grow panel.

You'll be able to control it with the timer. So if you've any spare timer that is external command that timer being used by it. In conserving energy, it'll assist you. Then it is possible to buy it, if you don't have a timer. It doesn't cost much.

Keep mild operational for the maximum of 16 hours every day and more than that as a shadow can be vital for the plants and that organic.

Don't run mild in Bloom mode unnecessarily. Keep your eye on your plant's development and wellness.

Closing Thoughts On The Viparspectra 600w:

The Viparspectra 600 watt LED grow light is a great light. Additionally it is entrance level with a modest coverage area. If you are interested in a grow light to get a larger coverage area, take a look at my review of the HLG 550 V2 Quantum Board LED grow light, or even my review of the best COB LED grow lights, that are still reasonably priced but provide better intensity and protection. No matter what you select, you'll be happy because I only allow the lights on my site.

Viparspectra 600 watt is a really user-friendly and high quality grow light which supplies of the very important bands required in a quality light for marijuana plants that are green.

Considering all its capabilities, I would suggest this increase mild for anybody with a 2.5' X 2.5' develop space searching for an affordable increase light.

0 notes

smdisasterrelief · 6 years ago

Text

Top Property Preparations for the Hurricane Season in St. Augustine, Florida

There are advantages and disadvantages of owning a property. Natural disasters make us wonder why we thought that investing in a certain property was such a great idea. Hurricanes can cause damages but they can usually be predicted days or weeks in advance, giving us time to prepare.

Hurricanes can smash lives as well as break properties. Being prepared can help you minimize the storm’s impact. The best time to start is before the threat is brewing at hand. Here are some ways that you can prepare before a hurricane strikes. When the storm does hit, call ServiceMaster by PWF for all your clean up and repair needs.

1. Plan your evacuation route very well ahead of time - you may need to evacuate ahead of time if you live near the coast or in a mobile home. It is an intelligent move if you create your own evacuation plan well before the disaster strikes if you don’t get any instructions from your local government. In this way, you’ll know about the nearest shelters ahead of time, take your pets into account, make sure to take important documents, and make a trial run.

2. Consider a generator - in the time of an approaching natural disaster, considering purchasing a generator for your property is one of the best options. Generators are will save you money in the long run; they can be very costly but after a disaster hits, you will be very glad that your purchased one.

3. Prepare emergency supplies on hand - people go to stores when a hurricane warning is being issued. Get ahead of the rush by having the following on hand:

· Extra batteries · Candles or lamps with fuel · Matches (keep them dry all the time) · Materials and tools for emergency home repairs-such as heavy plastic sheeting, plywood, hammer, etc. · First aid kit · Prescription drugs · Supplies of drinking water · Canned foods · Portable/chargeable/battery-supplied radio · Flashlights and batteries · Basic tools

4. Personal Property Inventory - making a home inventory will help you ensure that you have purchased enough insurance to replace your personal possessions. It can also speed the claims process, validate losses for income tax purposes, and is helpful. Just make sure that your home inventory is among the important documents that you’re going to take with you.

5. Have the Proper Insurance - obtaining proper insurance is the first thing that you should do before you even close a property. Ensure that the insurance goes into effect the second you close on the property. Once the hurricane is on the radar, it is too late to get the proper insurance coverage.

6. Take steps to protect your home - hurricanes can turn landscaping materials into a mess, and can break windows and doors and much of the property can be damaged. While modifying your home to protect against these possibilities is undoubtedly an expense, you can do it in stages.

· Replace gravel or rock landscaping materials with shredded bark since it is much lighter and will not cause much harm. · Cut weak branches or tress that could fall on your house and keep shrubs well-trimmed. · Ensure that door exteriors are hurricane-proof and have at least three hinges and a dead bolt lock that is one inch long. · Sliding glass doors should be made of tempered glass and, during the storm, must be covered with shutters or plywood. · Replace old garage doors and tracks with a door that is approved for both wind pressure and impact protection. · Secure outside wall openings such as vents, outdoor electrical outlets, garden hose bibs and locations where cables or pipes go through the wall.

A hurricane can destroy anything in its path, with its lashing winds, heavy rains, and storm surges. Here are some tips on how to survive the wild rage of a hurricane.

Before it hits · Residents living near coastal areas should create evacuation plans before a warning issue is raised. · Stock up emergency supplies including food, water clothing, medications, first aid kits, flashlights, batteries, other important documents, and gasoline.

During the storm · Evacuees should listen to local authorities on radio or television. Get inside the most secure building possible and stay away from windows. · Wait for the authorities to announce that the hurricane has passed.

ServiceMaster by PWF is a water damage restoration and flood damage restoration company in St. Augustine and all other areas of St. Johns County, as well as surrounding Northeast Florida counties. If you want to be prepared, check out our company. We also perform storm damage restoration in St. Augustine. We have great tools to help get you and your family-even your pets-organized and ready to act quickly if emergency strikes. Contact us today! 813-295-7797.

#water damage #storm damage #hurricane safety #safety #servicemaster by pwf #florida

0 notes

punalavaflow · 7 years ago

Text

County readies for Hector

The county, on emergency status since the lower East Rift Zone eruption started in May, is gearing up for a possible lashing from Hurricane Hector.

Mayor Harry Kim called a meeting of department heads and emergency workers Sunday afternoon at Hawaii County Civil Defense headquarters in Hilo.

As of 5 p.m. Sunday, Hector was about 1,170 miles east-southeast of South Point, according to the National Hurricane Center. The Category 4 storm strengthened during the day Sunday, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 mph with higher gusts and moving to the west at 13 mph.

Hector was expected to cross into the Central Pacific Basin late Sunday night.

“We are forecasting a gradual weakening trend as it pushes westward,” Deanna Marks, a National Weather Service meteorologist, told the crowded briefing at the emergency operations center. “… What we do have is cooler sea surface temperatures and we also have drier air. So that’s going to help to weaken Hurricane Hector as it pushes into the Central Pacific.”

Marks said Hector had “a little bit of a west-northwest clip,” but she said a ridge of high pressure building to the north is “going to keep it on that westward track.”

Forecast models project the storm to pass to the south of the Big Island at about 11 a.m. Wednesday, but Marks said there was “about a 40 percent chance that South Point might see tropical storm-force winds.”

“At this time, we’re looking at about Tuesday night into Wednesday for those winds to start affecting the southern portion of the island,” she said, and added that she expected a hurricane watch or tropical storm watch would be posted this morning.

According to Marks, warning level surf of 15 feet or higher should be expected for east-facing shores.

“The surf will be building (today) into Tuesday, and it will peak Tuesday into Wednesday,” she said. “And this week, we are looking at the ‘king tides’ building in. That will exacerbate any surf that we get.

“In addition to the surf, we are looking at (increased) wind, flooding rain and any sort of storm surge.”

She said despite its strength, Hector is a small storm.

“It’s compact, but it is strong. So these effects are going to be focused … along the track,” she said. “The hurricane force winds are only stretching about 30 miles outside of the eye, while the tropical storm force is about 105 miles.”

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gulfstream IV aircraft is already collecting data. In addition, the Air Force Reserve 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, aka the “Hurricane Hunters” from Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss., will fly “six hourly passes to get reconnaissance data” in their Lockheed WC-130J aircraft, starting today, Marks said.

Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno said ahead are possible inundated shorelines causing closures of roads, beach parks and perhaps schools, adding that emergency shelters may need to be put into place. He also noted the effect toppled albizia trees had on roads and the electrical grid during Tropical Storm Iselle almost exactly four years ago. Iselle, like Hector, happened during a lava emergency as the June 27 flow was approaching Pahoa in 2014.

Ryan Brown of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who’s here for the lava response, said FEMA has already established a staging area at Keahole International Airport in Kona.

“That provides us a space to bring in commodities — food, water and any emergency power-type equipment, if needed — to ensure that if there if there is a disaster with major impacts, we have resources here on the ground,” he said. “Our intent is to forward push … those resources here before any potential storm impact, just to make sure that we’re ready for that.

“… There will be additional FEMA staff coming on board with certain disciplines, such as communications background, etc., but we should be seamless as far as continuing support for the lava event.”

Kim said despite the forecast of the storm passing to the south, his intention is for the island to be ready in case Hector hits hard.

“I don’t play guessing games,” he said. “I just go day to day and see what they forecast and prepare for every scenario. That’s our job.”

Residents and visitors are advised to have an emergency survival kit ready in case disaster occurs.

The recommended items for a survival kit can be found on the American Red Cross website at https://ift.tt/2JzIjHr.

The post County readies for Hector appeared first on Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

from Hawaii News – Hawaii Tribune-Herald https://ift.tt/2M2fHqp

#Hawaii Tribune Herald

0 notes

georgiagassavings · 5 years ago

Text

Texas Facing High Energy Hurricane Season

New Post has been published on http://www.texaselectricityratings.com/blog/2020/05/08/texas-facing-high-energy-hurricane-season/

Texas Facing High Energy Hurricane Season

Stormy weather is on the way! While Texas electricity customers could likely experience power outages, they should prepare for much worse this summer.

Prepare Now for a Busy 2020 Hurricane Season

The 2020 hurricane season will officially begin one month from now on June 1. And since this year’s winter was one of the warmest in North America without the help of an El Niño, Texas residents might see the impact of at least one tropical storm this summer.

As if Covid-19 wasn’t enough to contend with…

The annual hurricane season spans the period from June 1 to November 30. However, tropical storms can develop outside those months with some as early as January and others as later as December.

Though the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) National Hurricane Center doesn’t release their annual hurricane forecast until the end of May, several other hurricane forecasts come out each April. These are released by meteorological researchers at the Department of Atmospheric Science Tropical Meteorology Project at Colorado State, Accuweather, Topical Storm Risk at the Department of Space and Climate Physics at University College London, and the Weather Company.

Hurricane Predictions, 2020

NOAA Prediction CSU Prediction Accuweather Prediction Weather Co Prediction TSR Prediction Seasonal Average 1981-2010 Number of named storms (winds 39 mph+) N/A 16 14-18 18 16 12 Storms becoming hurricanes (winds 74 mph+) N/A 8 7-9 9 8 6 Major hurricanes (Cat. 3, 4 or 5, winds 111 mph+) N/A 4 2-4 4 3 3

Colorado State released its annual hurricane forecast back on April 2 saying they expect “above-normal activity”. In addition, they stated, “We anticipate an above-average probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean.” They also added there is a 44% chance for one major storm to come ashore along the Gulf coast stretching from the Florida Panhandle all the way to Brownsville, TX.

Accuweather predicts an “above-average activity” and predicts 2-4 impacts on the U.S. coast.

Weather Co. sees a season “more active than usual” and adds the dire warning that “there is still some upside to these numbers, and that a ‘hyperactive season’ like we had in 2010 and 2017 is still in play.” The 2010 hurricane season saw 19 tropical storms with 12 becoming hurricanes. The 2017 hurricane season spun up 17 tropical storms, 10 of which became hurricanes and included major storms Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate.

Tropical Storm Risk. com (TSR) calls for “above-norm activity” and that there may be more late-season season storms, noting “environmental fields in August-September 2020 that are more favourable for Atlantic hurricane activity than thought previously. ”

Very Active Atlantic Hurricane Season

So, the consensus see an active if not very active storm season ahead: 14 to 18 tropical storms with at least 7 becoming full sized hurricanes, and 2 to 4 of those will be major. Storm ferocity aside, with these numbers it’s safe to say that Texas electricity customers could likely experience power outages related to at least one of these storms this summer.

It’s important to bear in mind that the Seasonal Average (1981-2010) for tropical storms is 12 with 6 becoming full sized hurricanes. But like any weather forecast, conditions can change. For example, the 2019 hurricane season was originally forecast to be near-normal. It started out quiet with only two storms in spite of a very warm Atlantic. It stayed quiet only until August 8 when the El Niño faded out. That brought an almost-sudden change within one week when storms began rising out in the eastern Atlantic and Caribbean. By November, there had been a total of 16 tropical storms, 5 of which were hurricanes, and 3 of those major ones.

So why so many hurricanes expected this year?

Why El Niño Affects Atlantic Hurricanes

The key to the sudden eruption of storms last year was that while the Atlantic was full of very warm water, the El Niño early last summer produced enough puff cause wind shearing in the western Atlantic. However, once the El Niño faded out, the storms came quickly. During the few storms that made landfall in the US, some residential electricity customers in the southeastern US went without power for days.

This year, there’s no El Niño at all.

El Niño, or El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) as it’s technically known, occurs in the Pacific Ocean when a layer of warm water that is normally west of the international date line shifts eastward at the equator toward South America. The warm water warms the atmosphere and shifts the Walker Circulation eastward. When the Walker Circulation shifts eastward, it increases the likelihood of down-rushing wind shears over the western Atlantic and Caribbean —right into the cradle of Atlantic hurricanes. Hurricanes operate by moving warm, moist air up through their center but they need calm winds to stay organized. El Niño wind shears blow vertically across their rotating structure. This disperses their heat until the hurricane falls apart. It’s almost like standing over a candle and blowing it out.

Why No El Niño This Year?

Generally, sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the ENSO monitoring zones roughly need to be consistently .5°C above average or higher to start affecting atmosphere circulation. This year in the Nino 3.4 region (about mid-Pacific), SSTs have been consistently above-normal since October but fluctuating between .2 and .9 Celsius above normal (“bubbling” about .5°C). However, all that fluctuation may have missed linking up with Pacific wind patterns that typically cause the shift into an El Niño.

Instead, we have what’s called ENSO Neutral (or “La Nada”). During summer, La Niña and ENSO Neutral conditions can shift the Walker Circulation westward so that instead of wind shear blowing down in the western Atlantic, there’s more likely to be little vertical wind shear and lots of nice, calm air— which is the very stuff hurricanes thrive on.

Forecasters are also predicting that this current ENSO neutral condition could go cold in the autumn and change to a La Niña. And since that will affect your Texas electricity usage, we’ll take that up later.

How Warm Water Affects Hurricanes

The second factor at work is that there’s LOTS and LOTS of warm water in the Main Development Region (MDR) of the tropical Atlantic. The MDR spans the tropical Atlantic Ocean from west Africa to the Caribbean. When sea surface temperatures (SSTs) get above 80°F (26.5°C) it creates a dangerous bath water. The combination of heat and evaporating sea water rising into the air pulls in more air and heat behind it, increasing the potential for tropical storm formation.

Current Atlantic basin SSTs between the equator and north into the Gulf of Mexico are above-average for this time of year, running about 78° to 80°F. There’s much warmer water off the coast of west Africa stretching west to the Caribbean. Just off the U.S. east coast, SSTs are in the 70s. NOAA’s Global Climate Report for March said that Atlantic sea-surface temperatures were at record-warm levels.

—And it’s only May.

Considering the effects of so much warm water in the Atlantic MDR and the low likelihood of strong wind shearing in the western Atlantic, there seems a high probability that there will be an above-average Atlantic hurricane season and that at least one storm will hit the U.S.

Where, when, and what strength that storm will be is impossible to say. But, as the annual warning goes, it only takes one tropical storm to cause a tragedy. So, it’s best for Texas residents to get prepared.

How To Prepare For A Hurricane

For coastal residents, an above average hurricane season means there’s a good chance they will need to evacuate at some point this summer. That’s especially true for Texas and other Gulf coast states where storm surges have a history bringing flood waters 10 to 24 feet deep. Because both storm surge and rising high-tide levels are exerting increasing impacts on coastal flooding events, NOAA has unveiled some useful new prediction tools this season, including a map showing expected storm surge inundation values for the United States Gulf and Atlantic coasts.

For those who live further inland, high winds, tornados, and flooding are all potential dangers. Flash flooding is extremely dangerous in areas like central and west Texas and in the Appalachian states where rain-fall in steep-sided river valleys can flood entire towns in moments. That’s why we want all Texas energy customersto know what to do this hurricane season.

How Can I Prepare for Hurricane Season?

Hurricanes and other kinds of powerful storms can hit any state in the U.S. There was even a Super Derecho in 2009 that on radar actually resembled a hurricane over Kansas and Missouri. The most important thing you need to do is to have a plan for keeping your family safe. Start preparing to weather the worst storm safely now.

1 Make a plan so your family knows for what to do when a tropical storm comes your way.

2 Make a Hurricane Safety Checklist to help you keep track of how to prepare and what supplies you’ll need if you choose to shelter in place.

3 Build your hurricane kit.

4 Gather essential stuff for your grab ‘n’ go bag. Each person and pet should have their own.

5 Understand Texas evacuation routes ahead of time. Make arrangements well ahead of time where you’ll go to in the event of an evacuation order.

6 If you know someone who might need assistance during a disaster, please register now for the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR), a free registry that provides local emergency planners and responders with additional information about needs in their communities.

0 notes