Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene is currently(2PM EDT 8/23/2011) located at 20.7N Latitude, 71.2W Longitude, putting somewhere between the Dominican Republic and Grand Turk Island. It has maximum sustained winds of 100 mph/160 kph, making it Category 2, and a minimum central pressure of 977 millibars or 28.85 inHg. It is moving WNW at 10 mph/17 kph.

It is currently projected to strengthen to a major hurricane(Category 3+) and head through the Bahamas and make landfall in the US somewhere in North Carolina on Saturday. 4 days is an eternity in meteorology however, so it could hit anywhere along the east coast.

I'm just worried we might have another Long Island Express.

Also, was just thinking of making a 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season general thread.

It is also interesting that the last hurricane to hit the U.S. was an "I" named storm (Ike).

edited 23rd Aug '11 12:58:29 PM by tclittle

You Atlantic people get all the nasty weather. Hawaii hasn't been hit since Iniki in '92, but going back in records, it looks like we're usually hit or brushed with one storm about eveyr ten years or so.

Which means we're overdue, or something.

My cousin, currently at college in Virgina, told me about how lax his roomates were about the hurricane that would probably hit them. We, both being from South Florida, had a good long laugh over the phone as he packed up his valubles and shuttered the windows.

^^ The east coast is just a leeeetle bit bigger a target than the Hawaiian island chain.

Being ~250 miles inland (NW corner of SC), I'm not expecting anything more than some gusty winds (if not to hurricane speeds) and a lot of rain. Not exactly something to panic over, especially since we can use the rain (not drought conditions, but still lower than normal water levels in the local lakes).

Went to Walmart to get water, there was only one gallon jug in the entire aisle; fuckin Irene.

edited 23rd Aug '11 10:54:06 PM by Kino

I am in Texas and got a lightning storm a little while ago...

Entirely different circumstances. Those t-storms are the storms circling around the high pressure that was giving us our heat wave.

Our problem will be all the dry air Irene is going to pull into out area (104 degrees for highs over the weekend in the Houston area).

And it looks more like Irene will be a weak Long Island Express-like storm.

edited 24th Aug '11 7:54:56 PM by tclittle

Since I live in Virginia, and as I stated in a different thread:

edited 24th Aug '11 8:11:26 PM by MousaThe14

Do you realize how much you were Tempting Fate there?

All is quiet in the Midwest. I wonder if Irene will send any storms over here.

We're getting predictions of clear and cooler (highs in the low 80's; lows in the low 60's or high 50's) til Sunday at least in Western Illinois.

Mayor Bloomberg is having a press conference on hurricane prep....I shit you not.

Right now the track is pointed directly at New York.◊

edited 25th Aug '11 10:48:27 AM by Fish1

After the city pretty much botched everything during 2010-2011's blizzard fest, Bloomberg isn't taking any chances with this hurricane.

oh god, the blizzard. Hilarious fail on the city's part.

My God I'm screwed.

As you may know from my past messages, I am a proud Maryland citizen I'm also one of many in the path of a Hurricane that's going to have it's center hit this Weekend. I just wanted to know if any other Maryland Tropers are aware and that maybe we could use this thread as a meet-up in case the severity hits N) levels, though I hope you're all praying as well as I am that that isn't the case. I keep it in my talks to God that the worst we get is super-heavy rain and that O'Malley is just being cautious, but it's really sick just how screwed up the media can be, and I just don't want my house to be three feet underwater, while the whole of Tv Tropes talks to me about comics and the like completely unaware because Fox News i busy talking about how dude is dating so-and-so and blabbering about such-and-such. God be with you Maryland. (;.;)9

edited 25th Aug '11 4:01:12 PM by JusticeMan

Some info on hurricanes From a native Floridian:

• Your first danger is the storm surge. Simply put, hurricanes raise the level of the water by a pretty large amount. How to avoid: don't live near the beach. If you are near the beach, get inland.
• . Your next big thing is the wind. Hurricanes have winds that, while not as strong as tornadoes, last much longer than tornadoes. Therefore, while you needent worry about your house being picked up, you do need to worry about trees bein knocked over, windows getting smashed, major things getting knocked over, etc. How to avoid: shutter your windows. If you don't have shutters, which you probaly don't, cover them with plywood. If you can't find plywood, go into a room with no windows and pray(no joke).
• Your next big danger is the flooding. Your best solution is to find out weather(ha) or not you are in an are likely to flood. If you are not just make sure you have an escape route. If you are, put your valubles in big bags, seal them up, and be prepared to exit your house. Better yet, go to a hurricane shelter. Better yet, go visit family.
• Your last big danger is power outages. Depending on how severe the outage is, you may not get power back for up to a week. Just make sure you have plenty of supplies.

Your bes bed for surviving? Board up your house, put your valubles In waterproof bags, and come visit someone, so you can stay up all night posting here while watching the news.

It looks like the hurricane is going to go over or near the coasts of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut before going inland. Which is bad, since hurricanes need to to be cut off from the ocean in order to weaken.

Not if they get far enough north. I the water gets cold enough, they will stop gaining strength. Therefore, our best bet is that it stays over wate until it goes high enough that it is no longer powerful.

It's not going to weaken enough. A category 1 hurricane is nothing to sneeze at, especially if it's going to make landfall over a densely populate area such as NYC.

edited 25th Aug '11 8:22:40 PM by Fish1

Pah! Bring it on Irene! Your water isn't even frozen!

edited 25th Aug '11 9:09:20 PM by sketch162000

Well lets just hope it causes property damage only and no lives are lost.

Homes can be repaired, lives can't.

^The way it looks right now, it will be a miracle if no one dies.

Edit: The first bands of rain are approaching the Carolina coast.

edited 25th Aug '11 10:27:17 PM by Fish1

Pray for me.

I'll let you know how it goes.