hurricane noun
A variant forms harricane, harricun, herrycane.
1942 Hall Phonetics 42 [harik’n].
B
1 A severe windstorm.
1834 Crockett Narrative 150 In the morning we concluded to go on with the boat to where a great harricane crossed the river, and blowed all the timber down into it. 1966 DARE = a destructive wind that blows straight (Cherokee NC). 1969 GSMNP-38:135 A windstorm, we called it the young hurricane. 1982 Powers and Hannah Cataloochee 421 He said that he wished they’d come a herrycane and blow the cranberry bushes out of the ground. 1995 Montgomery Coll. (Cardwell, Shields).
2 A growth of cane or other plant in an area where trees were appar leveled in the past by violent windstorm.
1834 Crockett Narrative 151 We cut out, and moved up to the harricane, where we stop’d for the night 1918 Combs Word-list South 34 = a thicket of cane or other underbrush. 1996 Montgomery Coll. (Adams, Cardwell, Ledford); = also refers to laurel thicket (Ellis).
Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English
If you watch last night’s video you can hear how Granny pronounces hurricane. Pap said it the same way—harricun.
I’ve heard other old timers say it like that too.
Back in the day when I worked at Lake Logan in Haywood County NC there was a maintenance man named Junior. He said it like that too and he was about Granny and Pap’s age.
We had rain all day on Thursday but none of it heavy. As I’m typing this the current hurricane hasn’t made land fall down in Florida yet. Some of the forecasts still show us getting a tremendous amount of rain. Other’s show the heaviest rain well to the east of us.
When The Deer Hunter and I were first married and still living with Pap and Granny harricun Opal screamed through our surrounding area.
A lady said her husband worked for Blue Ridge EMC and Opal was a 500 pole event for them. Our power was off for several days after the storm and it was about this same time of year.
I’ll never forget the first time I walked up the creek after Opal. The trees were just laid over in places like a giant pushed them as if they were weeds in his way. There wasn’t nothing to hurt up there, but down in the settlements a lot of trees fell on houses, cars, and of course power lines.
I’m praying for everyone in the storm’s path and for the folks who have to be out in the weather to do their job, many of whom will be helping and serving their fellow man.
Last night’s video: Q&A with Granny Part 6.
Tipper
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When I was a toddler hurricane Hazel roared through North Carolina , and I can remember the grove of pine trees in front of our home bending at about a right angle without breaking. My mother called it a hurricun, and I do not know from where that pronunciation came.
I was in my last year of grade school when Hazel hit. I remember it very well. It wreaked havoc in Raleigh and points beyond. I don’t remember how long power was out; it was a week or more, I think. I remember going to Carolina and Wrightsville Beaches some weeks after the storm to view the damage. It knocked down the old Breakers Hotel at Carolina Beach. The hulk was still there years later. For years, when driving in Eastern NC you could see huge old oak trees that had been blown over, all lying so the stumps pointed to windward when they fell. It’s hard to believe that was 70 years ago.
Hazel caused a lot more damage than a similar storm would today because there was little advance warning and no meaningful prediction of its path. There was no hurricane tracking systems in those days, no satellite images, and reports that came in from random sources were suspect because observers were untrained and reported sporatically. Although the storm was imminent, schools were not cancelled. Hazel hit the coast and travelled inland to Raleigh and beyond, but there was such confusion that some schools let classes out just as the storm reached Raleigh. I remember walking home and watching limbs being torn from trees. The peak came about the time I got home, which was only 3 blocks from school. I cut and split a lot of firewood for months after Hazel.
There is a section of Wake County, West and a bit South of Wake Forest, if I remember correctly, called the ‘harricans’ because the woods were blown down and the undergrowth came back very densely making it all but impassable. I think the storm was before Hazel, but I’m not sure. That area has probably been developed now because Wake County has grown tremendously in the 30+ years since I left Raleigh.
I have been out on my tractor trying to move limbs/trash out of driveway and the road in front of my home. A lot of wind damage and large trees blown over and well over 5inches of rain but no problems with the creeks flooding. I hear it may be two days before our power is restored.
For all in or that had been in “Helene’s” path, I have and will be praying for you all. Stay safe. To first responders, thank you all for your support, service and dedication to the public. Miss Tipper no matter how we pronounce the word “Hurricane” isn’t it a terrible thing to experience. We did Camille in ‘69 and Katrina in ‘05. And several in between those and afterward. God be with all today tomorrow and always.
Here in southeastern Ohio we are finally seeing some nice steady rainfall. We have been listed under extreme drought conditions for several weeks. You can almost see the fields and livestock reaching up for it. I have a good friend in in the path of Helene and evacuated yesterday. I pray for them but am also very thankful for answered prayers for the rain for this area. Be safe in your area Tipper, I’m no sure what the exact amount of rain we are to receive is. It would take a bit to fill our rivers to overlowing again. Bless you and your family, be safe.
My kin pronounced hurricane like Granny!!!! So good to hear it again.
Our homes in Gulf County, FL & NW GA are fine, praise the Lord. So concerned for those in your area & beyond who are dealing with Helene now.
We say hurrying. Others I’ve known say hairycun
I’m sending prayers to all who’ve been affected by this hurricane. As a Louisianian, I understand all too well how these storms can wreak havoc. I hope you all stay safe.
Hurcun
It is pouring rain and a neighbor called to say she is out in the yard trying to pull a huge limb off a power line. I said don’t do that! If we lose power, it will be a good excuse not to cook, do laundry, vacuum, and open the garage door. Loretta Lynn pronounced it harricane in her Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man song with Conway.
Around here we have a community named hurricane, but the residents there call it “hair’-uh-kin”.
Tipper, I just read a comment on another channel that Haywood county has been hit pretty hard. Prayers sent up that everyone in your family and area are safe. Just lots of rain here in my area of Kentucky but high winds and storms expected throughout the day.
The cell phones have kept me from sleeping well now for two nights. About every two hours they go off with a horrible sound and tell me not to drive unless I’m fleeing danger. When it went off at 6 AM I looked out and there were no lights anywhere except at our house. We have a backup generator. I have a Predator 9000 to spare if anyone is interested. It has been used less than 10 hours in three years I’ve had it. It powered our large house including the AC and well. Stay safe.
Update to my first comment, The rain has stopped, but the wind is still very strong. There is no telling of how long our power will be off. My son left before 6 and drove 18 miles to his job at Michelin. He called and said he had no problems with flooding even on the back roads until he got near the plant where so much of the land has been turned into an asphalt jungle. He did say he did not see anyone with power for 15 miles. I am very afraid of the the wind and damage it may do to our homes. My phone just went off with another flood alert that is closer to these areas of development, here around me we still have our land and woods that helps control the rain runoff.
My parents and other family always said “harricun” too. Loved the video of Granny. She always has something interesting to say. Good to see her looking pert. We have been having rain and wind all night and it’s supposed to get rowdier this afternoon. We’ve had flood warnings and two nights ago a tornado warning, but nothing came to past. I’m afraid of wind. Growing up in Ohio we had a lot of wind all year but during the storms it intensified and sometimes we had tornados. The land is so flat where I was raised so tornados just raced through and sometimes did a lot of damage. In Charlottesville, Va we lived there 29 years and the wind barely blew except during a storm. I’m praying that all of you are safe, and the storm doesn’t hurt you.
In Daytona we had minimal wind and rain. Daylight revealed a lot of yard debris but no damage except one limb that broke off of our only tree. Thankful, yes, and still concerned for family and friends across the Southeast.
My dad said, “hurrycane,” so I repeated the word after reading this post, and I say, “hurracane.” I guess the bet thing to do is ask the people, who get direct-hit with them, what they call those monsters. I pray you all are not floating down the mountain.
My wife and her family pronounces that word something like that too. I have heard them referred too as a “hemmycane” . Once an older local man whose roots ran deep here said of a tornado near his home, “hit sounded like a hemmycane coming up that creek!”.
Since my mommy and daddy were from Virginia farms in WYTHEVILLE, VA I’ve heard about every pronunciation of words with a country TWANG you can think of including “herricun” and no matter how you say it, I know it’s time to get to safer TURF when it is used. I awoke at about 5 to the awfullest wind you ever heard in your life and I looked out the window and a neighbor’s big limb hit the ground making a thud over here. It is awesome from what I see and I’m glad to be in the house…. Yesterday I could not breathe easy until after sunset-couldn’t catch my breath… Murray said something about barometric pressure sucking up the O2 in the air making it oppressive… man I wish you could hear what I’m hearing… it’s wind tunnel city!!!! Have a good one and sending up prayers for safety or total destruction-either one-if it’s gonna rip tear this house down so I can get another one in another place!!! Amen!
I’ve hear the pronunciation for harricane around here for years. It’s always interesting to hear how people will pronounce the same word different ways, young and old.
The rain and wind here in central Indiana from the hurricane started around 2 am and it will continue to worsen as the day proceeds. There are warnings out for damage from the winds and to remain vigilant until this passes. I’ve not seen anything for flooding, but I’m sure that is part of the mix somewhere. As I’m typing this the wind is blowing pretty steady, but it’s predicted to get up to 60 mph by this afternoon. Hopefully we don’t lose power, but if we do we have back up equipment to get us through.
Continuing to pray for those in the storm’s path. Stay safe everyone!
Weather is so unpredictable, but everyone pays attention to it. It always makes me think of our Lord’s return. He will split the eastern sky and the trumpet will sound. Everyone should notice that happening. I pray they are ready.
Praying for all the areas affected by this storm/hurricane.
I just loved getting to know Granny in those videos.
heavy rain all night long, I hope Jesus will calm the wind, I have a nephew, working for the power company in Florida, I pray God will keep him safe and well, God bless you , God bless my Granny Wilson
Praying for the safety of all.
Good morning Tipper. I see you have tropical storm warnings going on. I pray that you, your family, and neighbors are all safe. We should get lots of rain and some wind today also. I really have enjoyed your recent videos. The girls birthday dinner looked delicious. I love your new bean and pea drying racks. Granny always entertains us with her sweet memories. Thank you, stay safe, and God bless and keep everyone in the storms path.
I’ve heard people pronounce hurricane like Granny does.
We’ve had rain yesterday but not as much as some areas southwest of us. This morning we are getting lots of rain and wind. Our emergency radio has gone off twice this morning before 6AM, with warnings of flash floods and high winds. They changed the hurricane path on land last night so at this point it looks like our area of NC will get more than what they first thought.
Praying for everyone to be safe during this time of uncertainty in this severe weather.
It has been raining here in Middle Tennessee most of the night. We need it really bad. I told my husband that just looking at the grass makes me thirsty!
I have been up since a few minutes to 5 cause it kept waking me up pouring through the gutters.
We lost one of our new trees due to lack of rain. We watered it with the hose but there is just something about God’s rain that is better. Thankful that the other 6 made it so far. If they make it through winter I think they will hang on.
The farmer around us has really been cutting down tree lines and any other in the way of crops. He just bought the 400 plus acres so I do understand but it is sad to see them go just the same. That included out persimmon tree too so we can’t crack the seed to see what kind of winter is coming.
I am trying my best to replant as much as I can on our six acres. We do have 2 old pecan trees that produce like crazy.
Any way, I am probably rambling so I will close.
I pray that everyone is safe during this storm.
Angelyn
Praying for the safety of all in the path of the hurricane. I enjoy Granny answering tRuhe questions sent in by the viewers. It is like a slice of history. Thank you for sharing.
God bless you and yours.
Here in Bassett VA, we have had rain from the hurricane all this week, and it supposed to end I think on Sunday, sometimes heavy rain, but we are not complaining, I love the rain. Praise the Lord for the rain. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Tipper, for your posting on the word Harricun, I have never heard it pronounce that way before. May the Lord God bless each and every one of you and bless the ones that are in the path of the Harricun. AMEN
Thank you for this post. I like hearing an “up to the minute” update of what’s going on with y’all. I’m listening to Larry Sprinkle on Channel 3 and I’ve been praying for y’all. Our phones just now went off with Emergency flood warnings here. We’re hunkered down and not planning on getting out in this. Stay safe. ♥️
praying for all affected…I have some family and friends in the path and edges of the path…Lord put a hedge of protection around everyone. It is always wonderful to get to see and hear your mom, she has the greatest outlook on everything (oh to be more like her, which is in essence how The Bible tells us to be). I have only been following you a couple of years so my plan if you lose power and can not post daily for a while is to go back to your first Blind Pig post and start reading –if you dont lose power my plan is to one day soon start from the beginning and read everything…epilepsy sometimes prohibits me from having much screen time but my goal is to eventually read every post you have made over the years, looking forward to all the wisdom I will acquire
Right at this moment, the worst of the storm and wind has started for us and will last until about 10 o’clock. I have just lost my power at 5 o’clock. Lot of areas are flooding and my cell phone has been going off all night with flood warnings. I not worried about flooding around my homes, it is the strong 70mph + winds that have me worried, I lived with well water until about 10 years ago, I now have “city water” and times like now is when I enjoy it the most. I still have water but no power. I can get out my Coleman lantern and stove and go right on. I collect the lanterns and have a few stoves. I have at least 25 maybe more lanterns and about 10 stoves, this does not include my son’s collection. All of them are in working order.