Monday, March 15, 2010

Nor'easter





It seems like many years since we have had a storm of this magnitude.While nor'easters are certainly common here between October and April, this weekend's storm appeared to carry an extra punch. Wind gusts as high as 74 MPH, combined with 5-plus inches of rain, knocked down trees and power lines across the northeast. Many low lying coastal areas are flooded, with the hardest hit regions being Fairfield and Nassau Counties.
The nor'easter I measure all others by, was one I did not witness personally. The 1992 storm combined severe wind and rain with high tides that flooded entire neighborhoods. Many harborside bars still display photos of one of their regulars rowing down the street or wading through water up to their waist. The high-water mark at the City Island Yacht Club remains visible on the clubhouse exterior. I have met numerous people who lost boats or had their homes damaged from that storm.
On Sunday during a break from the winds, I visited a boatyard in Old Saybrook. I had hoped to go out to some of the beach areas, but flooded streets and downed trees prevented me from doing so.The few boats  in the water were now tied to docks that were submerged. The hauled boats meanwhile, sat in a flooded yard. Hopefully that is the extent of the damage.  
While this weekend's storm was not as destructive as the 1992 nor'easter,  the effects of it will be visible for years. I am sure along many stretches of Long Island Sound,  there are  beaches that have been altered, homes damaged, piers destroyed,and lives lost.

14 comments:

Bursledon Blogger said...

It's the one certainly of living by the sea, sooner or later the wind and tide and other circumstances will conspire.

Hopefully you only had material damage and people were ok

Maureen@IslandRoar said...

We had really high tides, and I can still hear the waves from my yard, but I think you all got it a lot worse than we did up here.

Erin | Bygone Living said...

What a storm- there were numerous trees down where I live, and power-outages all over. It really hit us unexpectedly.

Baydog said...

I've never seen so many downed power lines and huge trees just obliterated. Along a stretch of rural road down here in central NJ, 4 consecutive telephone poles snapped, literally, at about 4 feet up and laid down in a field. I think at this time they still do not have power in that area.

Unknown said...

Remember that I live aboard so have truly felt this one since it started. The marina's docks have held together but some broke apart in the previous storm. More rain than I remember, and more sustained winds than I remember ... We hope that spring will be more gentle.

Unknown said...

I have been doing a descriptive on the storm. i heard it called a huricane with no name and although JFK had 74 mph winds, I think we had higher!

kate said...

I hope you're high and dry, we're slowly going under here but it's nothing we haven't gone through before...that's coastal living for you :)

dianasfaria.com said...

it was wicked Saturday night and I can still hear the wind gusting outside now!

Erica Houskeeper said...

I can't believe how bad the storm was in southern NE! We didn't see much of anything in VT. I hope there wasn't too much damage, but it sounds like it was pretty awful.

bowsprite said...

you still living aboard?
Hi, PeregrineSea! and to all living on boats!

Unknown said...

Peregrine,
Even a "breezy" day ashore can be a whole different matter aboard a boat. As of this morning, New London was still reporting gusts up to 27 mph.

Whitemist,
From what I have read, Stamford seems to have received the worst of it.

Unknown said...

Baydog,
Welcome aboard!

Kate,
This one was more severe than any in recent memory here.The 1992 storm however, remains the worst in the past 20 years or so.

Lily,
It's been about 4 days now of high winds.

Burlsdon,
There have been a few deaths reported unfortunately.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Angelshair said...

Wow, I can see some trees down here in Brooklyn, so I can imagine how it was for you near the ocean. I hope you are not going on the boat these days!!