I think you may be right and I’m hoping the hype is bigger than the storm this is the rare combination of a hurricane with a very deep central core merging with another strong system and coming into the coast a nearly a right angle, during a full moon to boot. The 1991 “Perfect Storm” caused millions of dollars in damage and that didn’t even hit a populous area, IIRC, didn’t even come on shore.
Unbelievably there are some people here claiming this is nothing but hype purely manufactured and “faked” by the “media” in order to help Obama and that nothing will happen other than a light breeze and some rain showers.
What people need to understand is that this storm is massive, some 800 miles wide, has a huge wind field and, perhaps even more importantly, untypical for a hurricane or nor’easter, it will not move through quickly. Two days of tropical storm force winds combined with torrential rains and an unprecedented storm surge in the most populous area of the country is not a good thing. BTW, parts of WV could get up to 50” of snow!
EVERYONE in the impacted region needs to be prepared for power outages that could last more than two weeks. And the most critical factor is to have enough potable water on hand for that time period. A gallon per person per day. Fill everything that can hold water. Now.