I have always been extremely interested in weather. I know it's silly, and my friends make fun of me, but I'm constantly checking forecasts and weather updates. I think it is because I used to watch the weather channel while I got ready for school when I was little.
ANYWAY (I digress), I continued to watch updates yesterday as Sandy made her way into the NY Harbor and continued to thrash through NJ and other areas. Since I've lived up there and I have family from there (Dad was born in The Bronx), it hit kind of close to home. I also lived and worked through Hurricane Ike four years ago. I worked for the power company and was on duty while the Ike came through. Because of this, I have some experience with how devastating a hurricane can be.
As I watched updates through the day and night, I saw how much the storm affecting our population. Fortunately, the death toll has been minimal so far but the storm isn't finished. Millions of people are without power and some without homes. Not only have people been flooded and caught in the wind but now, the snow storms are hitting and that becomes a beast in itself. I'm praying that those caught in the midst of it head warnings and don't put themselves in further danger. I also hope that recovery comes quickly to those who have lost something (be it power, homes, cars, jobs, or loved ones).
My friends in Syracuse were updating me last night and I was so relieved to hear that the storm missed them for the most part but I know that means that other areas got the wrath of it instead. As it continues across the country, please keep everyone in your thoughts and hope that people, as well as the country as we will suffer economically and physically from this storm.