No hype. It’s not particular powerful compared to some of the category x storms we’ve seen in recent years, but it’s absolutely huge and carrying lots of water. The East coast is facing a real and imminent flooding danger.
Flooding from surges cause huge damage. Nothing like salt water, mud and debris running through the trees, bushes, grass, buildings and infrastructure. It takes a long time to recover from the mess and it will take longer in an area of high population density. For some people, recovery is an extremely long and frustrating experience. :(
So, even if the winds are not horrible (thank goodness if that is the case), the flooding will be bad enough.
No way would I stick around to see what happens, especially with Department of Homeland InSecurity (FEMA) handling the recovery in an official emergency situation and that many residents involved in a disaster. Worse, in the cold weather of the Northeast!
I would be in a hotel or at one of my sister’s houses, far away from the mess and come back after I saw what was what. I would not go to a FEMA shelter. It will be a long stay if the flooding is bad because they don’t let people back in until it’s ready for civilization again. Some people get angry and nutty especially when everything is out of their control and they think of themselves as the dependents of sugar daddy government.