Friday the 13th, the day Colorado created islands

When you've lived though as many natural disasters as I have, you get used to being prepared.

I've been through several wildfires, the worst of which was the Cedar Fire in 2003 when we were evacuated for days. I've lived through a massive earthquake, Northridge in 1994, which damaged our home significantly and cut us off from services entirely for days. I've been on a cruise ship in the middle of a hurricane, on my honeymoon no less. I've been through blizzards and watched a funnel cloud form over my head.

I've seen things, you guys.

Mother Nature can humble you in a hurry.

When my phone started blowing up with alerts the night before last, my mind immediately went into planning mode.

I live in Longmont, Colorado, the city that has declared we are experiencing the 500 year flood. The river that runs through the middle of town has divided the city, making it impossible to get from one side to the next. There is no way in or out of the city right now, as the St. Vrain and all the other rivers around here swell and rage. The interstates and highways are closed. Many roads washed out completely, destroyed by the water.

We are an island right now, surrounded on all sides by water.

We are safe, our home on the higher side of town. We are lucky to have all our utilities still working. I know many people under mandatory evacuation orders, many more under recommended evacuations. The town of Lyons, directly to the West of us is in far worse shape than we are, and I hope that all those trapped on high ground there get out safely when the waters recede.

The city has shut off the wastewater treatment facility. They say the water supply is still safe, but just in case, we have filled our 5 gallon jug and the bathtubs.  We have hand crank flashlights and camping stoves.

We don't know how long it will be until the waters recede, and as I type this it just started to rain again.

Here are some pictures from the last few days, and links to information. Many of the sites have crashed repeatedly. Many other parts of the state are having flooding as well.

The state website for road conditions
Longmont Office of Emergency Management



If you have to evacuate, leave. If there is a chance you might come under an evacuation order soon, prepare ahead and put the irreplaceable things in your car. Some shelters are not allowing people to take their animals, so prepare for that as well.

Stay off the roads unless you absolutely need to be out. Rescue workers don't need to be rescuing sightseers.

Stay safe everyone.