A downed tree and broken power pole following Hurricane Sandy.

Below is an account from our senior photo editor Bob Meyers, who photographed Hurricane Sandy preparation and aftermath in northern Virginia and surrounding areas.

There is nothing more humbling than the powerlessness we face in a fury of a major storm. On Sunday night, I was anxiously watching the forest full of tall oaks behind my house as they whipped back and forth in the high winds of Hurricane Sandy. The wind whirred around the edges of the house and rain beat a steady pour on the roof, walls and windows.. The black silhouettes of these massive trees shook against the gray clouds and the rain poured sideways in a blizzard of leaves. My little dog Coco shivered under the coffee table. She had not ventured beyond the porch for the entire afternoon when normally she loves to run through the trees looking for squirrels. From somewhere not too far away I heard a crash, a thump softened by a wet swish of cushioning leaves. I saw my neighbors’ lights go out and tried a nearby switch. Nothing. My wife and I had candles and flashlights ready, but there was little to do except to go to bed with ears open for the alert of any damage.  Continue reading →