Armageddon is once again upon us. America is on-edge, what with the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this week, and it seems we can’t wait for the next tragedy. Well, if you don’t get an actual one, you might as well make one up. If you watch cable news, you’d think that Tropical Storm Ernesto was threatening the East Cost like a modern-day Krushchev. Here in the real world, Ernesto strolled through Florida, barely managing to knock out power for a few hours.
Ernesto emerged into the Atlantic Ocean early this morning, weakened by its overland jaunt. The storm has picked up speed, however, and promises to come inland close to the border of the Carolinas later today as a strong tropical storm, if not a weak type-1 hurricane. That’s just its first stop on its way into our region, though, as Ernesto will start dumping a good deal of rain on the area tomorrow afternoon before it moves north over the Maryland panhandle to dissipate in a rainy mess.
This is good and bad for those here in the District and our surrounding suburbs. Good since we really need the rain. The area is currently in a drought, since we’re at less than half of our normal rainfall for August, and a good soaking rain would do good for area lawns, gardens, and farms. Our friends at Capitalweather.com think that the rain will be sufficient to remedy the drought (but caution you folks going to tonight’s metro-accessible sporting events to be ready for a good soaking). The bad is that the rainstorm will hit right as a lot of people are leaving for the Labor Day weekend. Those of you who drive know how heinous the roads get when there’s even a hint of a sprinkle (Or three snowflakes. Or a sunset. Or a high pollen count.), so that’s going to suck a ton; good luck on the 95 with all the eighteen wheelers.
In anticipation of Ernesto’s arrival, the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for our whole area. So, uh, watch for them and don’t drive through them or anything.
Have you made any Ernesto precautions? Cupcakes, perhaps? Let us know in the comments.
Photo by MatthewBradley from the DCist flickr pool.
