I think the only preparation I'd do it to fill up my bathtubs and buy a little extra water. It's very rare for hurricanes to do anything other than create a big windy storm here. Our house rarely loses power and I am not buying a generator for the once every 5 years it happens. If your house loses power more frequently, than I'd consider something.

I will check out toilet paper supply and get some this weekend if it's looking lowish. And maybe a case of water. Other than that, I am not worried.

Anonymous wrote:If I wanted to run to Costco and do a "big shop" for the very off chance this thing turns toward us, anything you recommend that is shelf stable? My group chat keeps joking about Chef Boyardee.

Yeah, canned stuff that doesn't need to be heated up - basically anything that doesn't need to be frozen or refrigerated!

You'll want some indulgent snacks, too. Chips, cookies, sodas, anything you consider comfort food. Almost everyone eats their hurricane snacks in the stressful days leading UP to the hurricane, when you're still waiting to see how bad - or not bad! - it might actually be, though. So just be prepared for a lot of that.

If you're a drinker, stock up on booze, too. If you're a caffeine hound, make an extra pot of coffee you keep in a carafe for emergency purposes in case the power is out (obviously that can wait!) - or pick up cans of coffee.

Anonymous wrote:If I wanted to run to Costco and do a "big shop" for the very off chance this thing turns toward us, anything you recommend that is shelf stable? My group chat keeps joking about Chef Boyardee.

The big bucket of mac cheese.

It's moving very slow at this point, hopefully there will be a better idea where's it headed by the weekend. Glad it's steering north of PR/USVI at least.

If I wanted to run to Costco and do a "big shop" for the very off chance this thing turns toward us, anything you recommend that is shelf stable? My group chat keeps joking about Chef Boyardee.

This is not first time I've heard someone mention this as something to watch for the East Coast.

Anonymous wrote:Are you saying this like you think the projected path will hit DC?

It could hit in the mid-Atlantic - or you could just end up feeling it. It's going to be a huge, strong hurricane and you don't have to get hit directly to have it be pretty bad there.

PP is right that it's a good time to make sure your trees have been trimmed, too!

Are you saying this like you think the projected path will hit DC?

Thank you for your concern. Lee is actually very closely watched by the Capital Weather Gang (mets of the WaPo), and others on the east coast.

The immense majority of hurricanes on the Lee track go out to sea. Only a small number have bucked that trend, such as Florence in 2018. Currently, mets think that if Lee makes landfall, it might make landfall in Nova Scotia. The problem is that only a tiny change in track can veer him anywhere into the US east coast.

The general concern here is that climate change triggers more rapid intensification, and intense major hurricanes (cat 4 or 5) tend to be more unpredictable in their tracks than less intense ones, because our current models aren't that great at accurately handling monsters.

So...

It's too early to buy for power outages, because you might prepare for nothing. I'd say the exception is trying to trim your trees! If you can schedule that before next week, then yes, that might be useful to do regardless. But this is an ongoing maintenance you should always do regularly anyway.

From a Florida resident who is more used to hurricanes than you all probably are in DC - Hurricane Lee may be heading your way, and just keep an eye on its path as things become more certain:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/07/weather/hurricane-lee-path-atlantic-caribbean-climate/index.html

It's going to be a bad hurricane. The question now is where it's going to actually hit.

You'll want to start preparing early, just in case. Now, before everyone makes a run on the store, stock up on water, nonperishable food, flashlights, and batteries. It's not a bad idea to buy a portable charging station, so you can power up phones and a coffee maker, if you do lose power. Make sure your gas tank stays full.

Hopefully the hurricane will stay out at sea and won't come too close at all - but it won't hurt to be prepared, in case not.