Irene: Worst Effects on Northeast in 50 Years Possible
By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist
Aug 27, 2011; 7:26 AM ET
“There could be millions in the dark for hours and hundreds of thousands without power for days starting at the height of Irene, and in her wake.”
There is potential for the worst tropical cyclone impacts in 50 years along the northern part of the Atlantic Seaboard as Irene plows northward. It will matter little as to the intensity of Irene upon moving up the coast and making landfall.
Coastal flooding, torrential rainfall and even tropical storm force winds will cause serious damage. The impacts on lives, property, commerce and travel will be serious.
While Irene will not be as strong and is not forecast to track as far west, nor as fast, as Hazel did in 1954, it will ride up along the mid-Atlantic coast in such a way as to inflict major damage in many coastal and some inland communities. In today’s dollars, Hazel was a multi-billion-dollar storm and reached Category 4 at peak intensity.
Irene will track farther east than Hazel, and farther west than Bob (1991). Meteorologist Heather Buchman compares Irene to storms in the past.
While Irene is expected to weaken Saturday into Sunday after encountering cooler waters in northern latitudes, that will not happen fast enough to prevent serious problems from wind, rain and ocean water.
If you live near the projected path of Irene, you are at risk for power outages, flooding problems and property damage with this storm.While Irene is expected to weaken Saturday into Sunday after encountering cooler waters in northern latitudes, that will not happen fast enough to prevent serious problems from wind, rain and ocean water.
If you live near the projected path of Irene, you are at risk for power outages, flooding problems and property damage with this storm.
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my son is in his home with his wife and two year old daughter,waiting for the storm to hit new jersey at midnight tonight, he has his emergency supplies and is prepared in all ways, through the day he and his neighbours have helped each other prepare, but what he was not prepared for through the day was the silence from the birds and no deer,rabbits,geese or chipmonks that usually pass his way. The calm before the storm is such a silent and scary feeling and is more unerving than any media report. Lets pray they all keep safe .
I hope your son and family got through the storm without injurie and building damage tinkrbell?. Although i think a lot of buidings will have a lot of damage becouse that is what bad storms like Irene do. I wonder where the animals go when storms like that come?…i have always wondered that. Pray you hear from your son soon and that all are ok, i heard the storm was running out of fury now, hope thats the case.
I’m in upstate NY, staying with my son and daughter in law to ride out the storm. We seem to have torrential rain but the wind is not as bad as predicted (so far). There is a lot of flooding going on.
My sister in Queens so far has just gotten a lot of rain and some wind but in lower lying areas a lot of flooding.
My son in NJ, Bergen County, also getting a lot of rain but no real damage.
The rain is torrential so if it keeps up there will be a lot of trees coming down. Thats what everyone is afraid of especially if you have a lot around your house.
Thanks for the up-date sunflower, and i am pleased to hear you are somewhere safe. There is a lot of work to do when the storm passes becouse there is no place water wont go. Take care. x
Well I am in Baltimore County north of Baltimore City and I didn’t loose power but my daughter did and she lives 10 minutes east of me. The rained stopped this morning but it is still windy here . So am glad I didn’t loose power like alot of people have and they could be out for awhile.
Hello Marei. I am happy to hear all is well with you. New York is going through it now, although i heard on the BBC news it was running out of steam, i hope it is. although it said most of NY will be flooded more than anything. xx