Hurricane Joaquin is Hurricane Sandy on Steroids

Hurricane Joaquin is Hurricane Sandy on Steroids

Adam S.R.
Suntactics.com
October 1, 2015

Hurricane Joaquin is gaining strength in the Bahamas reaching Category 4 status on Thursday afternoon, pounding the Bahamas with strong 140 mph winds and flash floods. It is still uncertain if the hurricane will hit the eastern seaboard, but if it does, it will leave a more devastating mark than hurricane Sandy did in 2013.

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Hurricane Joaquin could certainly be stronger than hurricane Sandy, due to the fact that hurricane Joaquin did not form in the Caribbean like Sandy did. Hurricane Sandy turned into a Category 3 hurricane before moving north and hitting Cuba, it slowed down to a Category 1 hurricane when it reached the Bahamas, marching its way up north. But with hurricane Joaquin, there is no large island to slow it down like with hurricane Sandy, Joaquin will continue its way north with a lot of power, and if it steers towards the eastern seaboard, it could be very devastating.

However Joaquin’s future is unknown, in the next 6 days we should have a better idea where exactly Joaquin is heading, forecasts predict the storm will come to shore on Monday-Tuesday near the North Carolina and Virginia coast, others say it will stay over the Atlantic heading north which could still mean severe flooding in New York City and Long Island areas (the same area that was devastated by hurricane Sandy).

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NYC Mayor de’Blasio said that the city is preparing for the worst: “We’re on a state of high alert right now, we’re absolutely preparing the city for Joaquin to hit as early as Monday in earnest. There’s still different interpretations of where this storm is going but we are prepared for it to come right our way,” he exclaimed on John Gambling radio show. “Our Office of Emergency Management is on full alert and in full activation. We’re going to be ready either way.”

Preparing for the Worst

There is no denying the absolute smartest route to take would be to pack up your bags and leave at the slightest mention that there would possibly be another Katrina or Sandy headed your way, but unfortunately for some, it’s not that easy in a financial sense. Sometimes there is just no choice but to hunker down, board up windows, and pray for the best. That’s why it’s important to have at least some of these items in your home just incase you are stuck between a rock and a hard place:

1) Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days for drinking and sanitation

2) Food, MREs, Canned Goods, etc. At least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food.

3) Radio, Smartphone with Equipped goTenna, Iridium Satellite Phone, Something to ensure that you can communicate and call for help.

4) Flashlight, Headlamp, Olin Gun or Road Flare.

5) USB, AA/AAA battery charger, solar charger (get only the best).

6) First aid kit.

7) Whistle.

8) Dust mask, Duct Tape, Plastic Sheeting.

9) Moist towelettes, toilet paper, garbage bags, sawdust, soap for personal sanitation.

10) Wrench, pliers to turn off utilities.

11) Can opener, utensils.

12) Local maps, Compass.

We all know too well that the only person that can help you is yourself in a disaster situation such as a major storm. Keep in mind that like what happened in Katrina, it took 5-6 days (possibly even longer) to enter the city to start helping and looking for hurricane victims. One of the worst things Americans can do is; not think that another Katrina or hurricane Sandy could happen again.