Storm Watch

A few years ago when I was living in California, I remember being at a Labor Day weekend barbecue in San Francisco's Noe Valley and my friends calling me "Doppler" because I kept running inside to check the Weather Channel.  This seemed very strange to everyone under California's ubiquitous blue skies and sunshine, a beautiful day like many countless beautiful days out there, where weather changes are on the whole a lot more subtle.

When your family lives in Florida, paying attention to Hurricane Season becomes second nature.   You know that if certain storms stay on track, a sense of automatic pilot takes over: lawn furniture and plants go inside, provisions and extra water are purchased, boats are secured, generators come out, hurricane shutters are closed, quick calls are made to friends in the Bahamas and then everyone hunkers down to wait it out, and hope that it passes quickly.

Of course the Labor Day storm I was paying attention to under California's cloudless skies was Katrina, that took an unexpected turn, and didn't hit Florida after all, and instead dramatically impacted a beloved city to many.

This year, a late season storm missed Florida again though my niece Ellie took advantage of the giant storm's feeder bands for a spin around the neighborhood yesterday, while further up the East Coast we all prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricanes definitely aren't second nature to us here, though 'events' certainly are, and yesterday seemed quintessentially  "New York" as little kids were out in full costume going to Halloween parties, and other people hitting bars and restaurants to stock up on social time out and being around a lot of people, two things we are very used to here.   Liquor stores were packed, stores were cleared out, with notable empty bread and salty snack aisles.  "There's not even chocolate donuts left," someone grumbled to me in line yesterday. 

Schools and offices sent closing notices yesterday, and our mighty public transportation artery of subways, buses, ferries and trains that powers a city of over 8 million people and greater metropolitan area over over 18 million people closed at 7 pm yesterday. Mayor Bloomberg issued mandatory evacuations for neighborhoods that might be flooded by tidal surge, and the stock market closed for the first time since September 11th in 2001. Atlantic City closed and the Jersey Shore evacuated. Governors in the Tri-State area had press conferences. Jim Cantore arrived on the scene.

Earlier today, the air was calm and still, and neighbors were outside with kids and dogs, getting some fresh air before the rain and wind arrives.  Friends and family sent texts and emails- New Yorkers checking in with one another in the city, others from around the country reacting to news and hoping for an easy storm.  I cooked while listening to early U2 and kept the Weather Channel off. 

So now we wait, a type A city that isn't good at "pause", waits.