Hurricane Sandy ended up being quite a memorable storm.  The storm ame through with the all time lowest pressure ever measured in this part of the country at 941mb.  The path of the hurricane, straight in to shore, was unprecedented and added to the widespread damage.  Millions of people are without power, homes are flooded, trees are down and one can only guess the total cost of the damage  I’ve heard a figure of a billion dollars but I believe it will be far higher than that.  In Breezy Point, Queens, about 3 miles (5k), from where I live,eighty homes were burned to the ground.  The neighborhood is particularly prone to flooding because it’s built on a narrow strip of land between the bay and the ocean.  Many people had to be rescued despite the fact there was a mandatory evacuation order.  Having been through a number of hurricanes, Belle, Gloria and last year’s Irene, this hurricane was very different.  Due to its unusual path and it’s combining with a strong low pressure system, the destructive force of a minimal category 1 hurricane, was greatly enhanced.  Now the cleanup begins and there is much to do.  Trees are down, power lines are down, debris liters the streets, traffic lights are out and the New York City Transportation system is shut down.  Life is far from normal even as Sandy departs.  I have been hearing emergency vehicles all morning in what is otherwise. a very quiet part of Brooklyn.  There is also a terrible stench of burning in the air, so obviously there is a large fire not far away.  This morning it’s still raining lightly with an occasional squall, and the wind, incredibly, is still strong enough to bring down trees.  Hopefully emergency crews can begin making progress on returning life to normal but for many, that will be weeks or even months away.