[stormer]

50+ dead and 20 billion in damage, not exactly “pipsqueak”. It was a Cat 1, but that only refers to wind speed and not the overall damage. Physically large storms like Irene don’t necessarily have to have high winds to be very damaging and dangerous.

[Seaplaner]

As one who is always willing to learn, I yield to your expertise.

It did seem to me, however, that there was a tempestuous (get it?) tendency to overstate the risks, wind forecasts, tide forecasts, resultant effects and the like.

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