Hurricane update

Conditions have improved significantly for my immediate area in Chesapeake. Winds have died down to a fraction of what they were earlier this evening, although we got some pretty strong gusts around 10-11 pm that scared me a bit.

As of a few minutes ago, it was estimated that 371,000 customers in the Hampton Roads have lost power. What's surprising is that 379,000 customers have lost power in the Richmond area, which probably was hurt more by the winds. We benefited from a number of lulls in the storm (there was a significant die-down in the winds in the later part of afternoon), but it seemed like Richmond really got pounded, as well as a strip from Isle of Wight county southwest to Franklin.

I intend to return to the house either tomorrow afternoon/evening or Monday. My supervisor, who is staying down the road at our office, has informed us that she will check on it (and other refuge facilities) to see if it is safe to return. I'm not sure what to expect; I haven't seen anything in the news from most of VB except areas right along the ocean. Sandbridge seems to have been hit really hard and even had a tornado. It was strange to see places I drive pass every day show up on TV.

Well, it's bedtime for me. I'll update tomorrow and throughout the week to show the damage that Irene has caused.