Time to batten down the hatches as they say. with a strong high pressure system of the coast and a low moving in from the Ohio Valley…we’re in for a very blustery day tomorrow. Winds are projected to be 30-40mph sustained with 50-60mph gusts. Ouch!
This will make the seas run in the 3 to 6 foot range (normally we see calm to 1 or 2 ft seas).
Fortunately the winds are coming from the SE so even though they are very strong they aren’t blowing along the Sound’s major axis. These storm winds will have a fetch of only 20miles or so. If they were blowing from the west or southwest…well that’s a fetch of 100-120 miles. Bigger fetch=bigger waves (all other factors being equal). Bad news is the winds will be switching to out of the SW Saturday night and out of the West on Sunday, with similar winds. Oy!
Even more fun is 2-3 inches of rain causing local flooding especially with all the leaves coming down from the winds plugging up drains…and in the midst of all the fun wind will come high tide. Today’s was at 1:54pm and was half a foot above the predicted already. Tomorrow high tide comes at 2:20 and with the winds and seas, we will be seeing local flooding with the high tide about 2 feet above normal. Perfect time for me to go out to Barn Island and get pictures of the salt marsh — completely under water. Then on Sunday hit it at the low tide which will be abnormally low by 2-3 feet and get more pictures.
What a contrast that should show. Especially since I am responsible for a report on the physics of the salt marsh in two weeks. And after getting sucked into a hidden mosquito ditch up to my thighs I really feel a burning need to ace this section of the class. Of course I can now say I have first hand experience with quicksand…and the best advice is don’t panic, and use slow and easy movements to get out. Of course avoiding the ditch in the first place is much better, but hey…at least now I have a pair of boot socks that come in a café and ivory matched set.
Edit:
Well.. I didn’t go out — the winds and rain were pretty severe and I just decided it wasn’t worth it. Good thing too there were a number of trees blown down and pretty severe flooding in local areas, especially coastal roads. One of our neighbors tried to navigate down River Road and narrowly escaped having his car in the bottom of the river. Floated it right across the road and flooded the car. Only a tree and heavy timber fence stopped the car from floating into the estuary.
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