Good morning,
As we enter day 7 after Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact on the Central Savannah River Area (Augusta, Georgia), the scale of destruction is like nothing we’ve seen before. Many of our friends and neighbors have lost everything, and our hearts go out to everyone affected.
Hurricane Overview:
September 27, 2024 – 2:00 AM (Eastern): The hurricane’s eastern eye wall passed about 40 miles west of our location, placing the strongest and most destructive part of the storm directly over us.
By the time the storm reached us, it was a Category 1 hurricane. Local weather stations recorded wind gusts of up to 90 mph.
Hurricane-force winds lasted about two hours before gradually decreasing as the storm moved northward.
4:00 AM: Winds sustained between 45-60 mph. Critical infrastructure was already severely damaged, and at 4:15 AM, we lost power. Approximately 98% of the area went dark.
You can see the area in N Florida and Georgia here
Mobile data, cell service, and internet connections were down, effectively cutting us off from the outside world.
Gas stations couldn’t pump fuel due to power outages (not from a fuel shortage).
Grocery stores also lost power and couldn’t open, leaving refrigerated items at risk of spoiling.
75% of local roads became impassable.
September 28-30: Still no power. Citizens began clearing roads with chainsaws and lawn tractors where it was safe to do so. Fuel and food remained unavailable locally. Tracie and I made trips about 60 miles away to get generator fuel and find a cell signal to update people on our safety.
October 1: Some gas stations reopened, and a few grocery stores began selling dry and canned goods, though perishables were still unavailable. We received notice that our electricity would be restored by October 3, 11:00 PM.
October 2: The restoration date was updated to October 9, by 11:00 PM.
On a personal note…
We’re okay. No one was hurt, and our home sustained only minor damage. Our generator is powering the essentials:
Coffee maker
Refrigerators
Freezers
Lights
Fans
Thankfully, we haven’t lost any of our food yet, but supplies are dwindling. As stores slowly reopen, we’re optimistic about restocking soon.
Overall, we’re managing, living something of a modern-day Grizzly Adams lifestyle. What we miss most? Hot showers and, as much as we hate to admit it, air conditioning. This is Georgia, after all, and while the weather’s been somewhat tolerable, daytime temps still reach 85-90 degrees. We’re counting our blessings, though—it could’ve been much worse if this hit in July, when living here is like being in an air fryer.
Thanks for reading.
Scott, Tracie, and the Web Tweeks Team
