Hurricane Sandy: The Effects

Inclement weather is nothing that anyone from the Appalachian Mountains can say thy have never experienced; heavy snow is something that is generally expected. However, this year Hurricane Sandy was something that no one could have been ready for. The flash Hurricane ripped apart the lives and homes of millions in the span of just 9 days, disappearing as quickly as it can been created.

Beginning in the Caribbean as a a weather depression that had become Tropical Storm Sandy, the hurricane only took a mere 2 days to reach full hurricane-grade strength, ripping across tropical countries such as Cuba. As it reached the eastern coast of the United States, it was becoming apparent that, due to certain weather conditions, that Hurricane Sandy has the potential to combine with other weather effects, strengthening it further and pushing it into Appalachians. The effects of it's landfall onto the east coast were felt across the nation, taking the lives of 109 people and causing disarray to millions with the onset of flash floods, snowstorms, and large-area power outages.

Here in the this region region of the Appalachians, things weren't too different. As with many places in the area, Sandy's influence began to appear Monday afternoon. Soon afterwards, the weather hit the area. Snow fell rapidly and heavily over the course of the next day, closing schools and businesses for miles. Many people who lost power during the course of the snowstorms didn't get it back until thursday, and some of the more northern parts of West Virginia still have yet to get it back again.

Frostburg could arguably been seen to have fared extremely well in comparison to it's neighbors. While the effects of Sandy were enough to warrant the closing of many businesses and schools, particularly the classes of Frostburg State University, many people still had power in the area. The snow, after passing it's course, had been cleaned up relatively quickly. Power was restored in a prompt manner to those who had lost it, and life largely returned to normal. Many people, particularly the student body of FSU, saw the Hurricane not as an inconvenience, but as a well deserved break from their busy lives. "I was very productive over the break. And by that, I played several hours of League of Legends and went sledding" said Nick Mills, an FSU student. To most of Frostburg, Hurricane Sandy was more of a inconvenience than a disaster.

At this point, most things in the region have returned to normal; most areas have regained power, and damages from the snow have at least been addressed, and schools and businesses have reopened. Life in this area of the Appalachians has once again stabilized. However, not all places are quite so fortunate. Thousands of people are still without power, and many coastal cities have received millions of dollars in damages, along with the loss of several lives. Hurricane Sandy is noted to be likely one of the most devastating storms in the history of the United States, and that designation is a deserved one. While many people do their best to rebuild their homes and stabilize their lives in the wake of this disaster, many more people are doing their best to assist them.