Posted on 08/26/2011 9:40:24 AM PDT by NautiNurse
Approximately 65 million people are likely to be directly impacted by Hurricane Irene as the storm takes aim at the densely populated Eastern Seaboard. Evacuations are underway for high flood risk areas.
Mass transit cancellations, schedule changes and road/bridge closures are occurring throughout the storm warning areas. Please check with local news and Emergency Management Operations to determine the recommendations for your immediate area.
Mash image to enlarge
Mash image to enlarge
Radar Images & Loops (interactive maps short/long range) Southeast
Northeast (Cape Hatteras to NE)
Satellite Images Still Images/Loops (both Flash & Java)
Buoy Data: Florida
Southeast US
Northeast US
Local News Coverage: WWAY 3 Wilmington NC
WRAL Raleigh NC
WETC Wilmington NC
WAVY Portsmouth VA w/Live Stream coverage link
WTVR Richmond VA
WUSA Washington DC
WBAL Baltimore MD
CBS Local Baltimore
WPVI Philadelphia
WTXF My Fox Philly
WABC NYC
WTNH New Haven CT
WHDH Boston
For your listening enjoyment...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91OIaPRrDts
Wind is picking up here (Mount Airy, Maryland.) Animals have not moved into the barns yet so we’re OK for now...we watch the critters and panic when they do.
Thanks for your local update. Hope you are prepared for 24 hours of lousy weather. Stay safe, dry and check in when you can.
I’ll thank you for at least having a reasonably gracious reply, unlike others.
As for earthquakes - of course no one reports endlessly on them beforehand - they are completely unpredictable and come out of nowhere.
Droughts - that’s not “imminent danger” so I guess there’s not overly much news. We’ve had droughts around here and no one covers them but the locals - although it’s never endless news even then. Just mentions at the 11 news.
Perhaps there is overhype (I know there is even locally every time some snow might come - of course, recently, we DID get whopper record snowfalls, but that’s not the norm), but it just seemed callous the way you all dismissed it with mocking terms about “just 60mph” and “just wind and rain”. That’s not just complaining about the media, that’s dismissing the storm altogether.
There was plenty of news about Katrina BEFORE it hit - it was predictable AND dangerous.
Look at the coverage now in NC and tell me 60mph continuously isn’t nasty. Are you telling me your 60mph in LA (my brother has lived there 30 years, and he never mentions this) is really that continuous and rainy at the same time? How much serious damage has it caused? I’m surprised I haven’t heard about it on the news at least. Yes, we get 60 mph here and there, and definitely had our wind storms which have knocked down some of my parents’ trees each time over 20 years, but we haven’t had many constant pummelings that can do much worse.
Bottom line, I know there is overhype from media, but that doesn’t make the storm automatically a “minute steak” as it seemed here.
Personally I don’t think our own area is going to get too much, but we have our concerns (50/50) and nearby we have people who could be in very deep problems with their floodplain geography and so on (NJ and Eastern Shore of MD. e.g.).
Godspeed to all of my good FRiends south of CT currently enduring the wrath of Irene, and for all FReepers in Irene's path...
You are right on: The geography is the real problem between NC and NY:
1. Areas of narrowing channels will have water forced back inland as Irene approaches, which will flood areas that usually see water draining out of them.
2. Low-lying marshlands are all over the place... many of them fairly isolated; if water washes out one power pole, road, or bridge, that could cut off people for days. Never mind the flooding.
3. Barrier islands will get hit on both sides: the east (ocean) side on approach, the west (intercoastal) side as the “pushed-in” water is released and pushed back out. It’s hard to imagine a storm surge on the non-ocean side, but it’s going to happen.
4. Trees will be down everywhere due to soft ground yielding to high winds.
Take care nutmeg,(((((Hugs))))
We have large windows backed up to woods. Not much we can do. Have plastic and duct tape just in case. Our neighbor put up some plywood on his back windows, which are smaller. I would have been more concerned about his solid vinyl fence taking flight! It gives when I try and mow the grass close to it.
Animals are a much better indicator than all the media hype!
Mt. Airy is a lovely location. All best wishes that you, your family and the animals weather the storm without a hitch.
I just noticed a shift in the models. As Irene is sitting in the middle of the Pamlico Sound, looks like the re-emergence into the Atlantic may occur further north — between the VA/NC line and Currituck.
From there, they’re guessing it stays JUST off-shore at the DELMARVA, and hits Atlantic City. New York-to-W. Long Island? We’ll see about that later, but arrival is expected Sunday morning, 8-9ish.
Looks as if Philly/NYC will get lots of rain, but not much of the hurricane winds. All to the good, but lots of flooding to come. Stay safe!
Same to you, fatima. :-)
{{{hugs}}}
I hope you and zelig are nestled in for the long storm. Thanks for your local update. Check in with us when you can.
I have wondered - why don’t people secure the trees near their house, with heavy wire, and deep spikes, when high winds are predicted?
Good idea, did that last night...also just made a ton of coffee. :)
Northwest New Jersey checking in:
Rain.
Plants, deck chairs, umbrella safely stored in the shed.
Enough bulk water to fill a pool.
Extra propane tank filled.
Wife will be grinding coffee this morning; will use French press if power fails.
I need to charge up the laptop, keep cell phones charged, as well as the batteries for electronic cigarettes.
Food: Lot of pretzels, soda, canned soup.
I have no fear of flooding - we’re 900 feet above sea level. However, the ground here is totally saturated, and the wind will topple trees, I’m sure. It’ll be coming out of the north / northeast, which will blow them away from the house.
In short, I’m looking at some inconvenience, but nothing that would threaten life and limb (other than those trees).
Be safe, everyone!
Dogs know.
BTW recommended reading: “The Eye of Edna”, and E.B. White essay, from 1954, in which he comments on the radio hype of the storm.
If Bush had done that in 2005, the media and the Left would have screamed bloody murder. Nauti-nurse and anyone who followed the Katrina live threads knows that it was Clinton’s former head of FEMA who advised Gov Blanco not to request Federal participation for one very bad extra day. And that was done specifically so that President Bush could not be seen to be “in charge.”
Two or three days before Katrina made landfall, I remember hearing something on CBS or ABC radio network news. President Bush was begging Nagin and the LA governor (Landrieu?) to declare a state of emergency -- or perhaps it was that Bush was urging that New Orleans be evacuated. I think they even broadcast a clip of him saying so.
But at that point, both Dems were denying the situation could ever get out of hand.
As Hurricane Irene batters the East Coast, federal disaster officials have warned that Internet outages could force people to interact with other people for the first time in years. Residents are bracing themselves for the horror of awkward silences & unwanted eye contact. FEMA has advised: “Be prepared. Write down possible topics to talk about in advance. Sports, the weather. Remember, a conversation is basically a series of Facebook updates strung together.”
(CT) Governor Considers Implementing Full Ban On Non-Emergency Vehicles
http://www.courant.com/news/weather/hc-hurricane-irene-0828-20110827,0,3472165.story
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.