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Message for those living in the Southeast to the Northeast. Consider yourselves to be under alert. Irene will affect these areas late in the week, the weekend, and early next week.
The Southeast will be directly impacted. Latest model guidance is showing a landfall in the Carolinas - perhaps around the SC/NC border. It will be as a Cat 3, maybe a Cat 4. For areas inland, flooding rains will have a significant impact and all watches/warnings should be heeded. Storm surges could affect areas as much as twenty miles inland. Heavy winds will bring down large trees, destroy homes, and beach erosion will be severe.
The Mid-Atlantic will be subjected to heavy rains and strong winds. For those in Southeast Virginia - you may think that Irene will not have a direct hit and that is certainly true as it appears now. However, let me remind you of another "I" - Isabel in Sept. 2003. She brought 105 mph winds to the area for many hours and SE Virginia was without power for four to six weeks - with a lot of damage too. It was not a direct hit, but it was bad enough. Take Irene seriously and make your preparations accordingly. Watch for storm surges, tornadoes, heavy wind damage, and flash flooding.
For those in the DC/Balt region - take all flood watches/warnings seriously and plan accordingly. Watch for broken dams, washed out bridges, damaged roads, and tornadoes.
For those in the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley/Poconos/Lehigh Valley/NYC/Raritan Valley regions - be prepared for extensive flooding, washed out bridges, dam bursts, damaged roads, fallen trees, and tornadic activity. For many of you in these areas, the last eight days have brought twelve to twenty-five inches of rain and the ground is saturated. The potential exists for extensive flooding along the Delaware River and connected tributaries, rivers, streams, and creeks.
In New England, the wind threat will not exist. However, the threat of extensive flooding can't be ruled out.
Updates as we go along.
The Southeast will be directly impacted. Latest model guidance is showing a landfall in the Carolinas - perhaps around the SC/NC border. It will be as a Cat 3, maybe a Cat 4. For areas inland, flooding rains will have a significant impact and all watches/warnings should be heeded. Storm surges could affect areas as much as twenty miles inland. Heavy winds will bring down large trees, destroy homes, and beach erosion will be severe.
The Mid-Atlantic will be subjected to heavy rains and strong winds. For those in Southeast Virginia - you may think that Irene will not have a direct hit and that is certainly true as it appears now. However, let me remind you of another "I" - Isabel in Sept. 2003. She brought 105 mph winds to the area for many hours and SE Virginia was without power for four to six weeks - with a lot of damage too. It was not a direct hit, but it was bad enough. Take Irene seriously and make your preparations accordingly. Watch for storm surges, tornadoes, heavy wind damage, and flash flooding.
For those in the DC/Balt region - take all flood watches/warnings seriously and plan accordingly. Watch for broken dams, washed out bridges, damaged roads, and tornadoes.
For those in the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley/Poconos/Lehigh Valley/NYC/Raritan Valley regions - be prepared for extensive flooding, washed out bridges, dam bursts, damaged roads, fallen trees, and tornadic activity. For many of you in these areas, the last eight days have brought twelve to twenty-five inches of rain and the ground is saturated. The potential exists for extensive flooding along the Delaware River and connected tributaries, rivers, streams, and creeks.
In New England, the wind threat will not exist. However, the threat of extensive flooding can't be ruled out.
Updates as we go along.
