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Aug
27
Hurricane Irene FootageVideo of Irene is starting to come out now, showing the powerful effects of the storm on the North Carolina coast. Though the storm hasn’t made landfall yet, it should over the next few hours so what you see in the video will only get worse. As you can see from the radar image below, the eye is not too far away from the North Carolina coast:  The Eye of Hurricane Irene Approaching NC
Aug
26
Irene Poised for Landfall in NCIrene is finally on our doorstep! Though it has been considerably weaker than the forecast (due to interaction with dry air), it is still a big storm at Category 2 strength. It will be interesting to see how much further weakening occurs before landfall in the next 24 hrs. There has been a lot of hype made by the media about the storm, and continual weakening could result in a non-event for many of the locations expected to get hit hard.  Hurricane Irene off Carolina Coast Even with the slight weakening, the National Hurricane Center is expecting a large area from the Mid-Atlantic to New England to experience tropical storm force winds or greater. Hurricane warnings have been issued up and down the coastline, and tropical storm warnings have been posted inland – which is definitely a rare sight. Below is the expected winds from the system (red is hurricane force, blue and yellow are tropical storm force):  Hurricane Irene Forecast Winds As you can see, hurricane force winds (sustained) are expected to impact the beaches from North Carolina to New York (including NYC). Much of southern New England is at a high risk for these types of winds as well. Because Irene is so large, sustained tropical storm force winds are expected as far west as Danville, VA, and Washington, DC.
Aug
26
Power Outage Tips for IreneWith Hurricane Irene approaching, if you live in the projected path it may be a good idea to take some precautions for the storm. Secure any items outside of your home that could potentially blow away (such as trash cans, chairs, etc). Stock up on non-perishable foods (in case of power outage) and water, and keep up to date on the storm as it move through the area. It’s also a good idea to expect a prolonged power outage; when Hurricane Isabel rolled through the Mid-Atlantic in 2003, many were without power for a week or more, and Isabel had weakened to tropical storm status. If for example you own a toshiba laptop, you have an opportunity to charge up your toshiba laptop battery before the storm hits. This way if you need to get online during a power outage, you can still use your laptop to connect to the internet via 56k dial-up (assuming you have a modem). I would even recommend keeping the laptop plugged in to the toshiba laptop adapter up until the onset of the storm at the very least, just so you can get a maximum battery life out of it. One last tip I have is: if your area loses power for a long period of time, it’s unlikely your laptop’s battery will offer enough battery life to keep you online. Just remember that power outages are often local, and if the power at your home is off, your family or friends a few blocks away may have theirs on. You may even find your local library has a backup generator or something. Take advantage of this truth and bring your laptop and a toshiba laptop ac adapter with you to one of those locations. You’ll be able to recharge your battery back to full whenever it is necessary.
Aug
24
Irene’s Track Worst Case Scenario for East Coast?While at this point in time it doesn’t look like Irene will be a major hurricane, it is still expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the coastal regions from North Carolina to Maine. The models are still in disagreement as to what coastal regions will get hit the worst, but a majority of them are suggesting a big storm will be affecting the region this weekend. The 12z Euro would suggest a second landfall in New Jersey:  8/24/2011 12z Euro - Irene Though many other models are predicting a track a bit further east. Nevertheless, any location east of the Appalachains in the Mid-Atlantic and pretty much everyone in New England should be keeping a close eye on the storm.  Hurricane Irene Forecast Winds The above map would suggest 75mph or greater winds in the red regions, with blue and yellow showing the tropical storm force winds (40mph+). A westward shift in the track of the storm would result in a westward shift in the winds depicted in the map, and recent trends have been towards the west. Without a doubt, the next few days leading up to the storm’s arrival will be very interesting.
Aug
22
Hurricane PreparationsWith Hurricane Irene on it’s way, if you live in the southeastern U.S. it may be a good time to take a look at your vehicle to make sure it’s working properly. If you don’t have a vehicle, investing in a used Acura such as the ones listed on http://www.acuraofpalmbeach.com/ might be a good idea, especially if the strengthening hurricane causes mandatory evacuations to be issued for your region. You don’t want to be caught unprepared if the storm is about to strike your region, especially if you live along the coast. If you do own a vehicle, make sure to have your car serviced a few days in advance of the forecasted storm. To be safe you may want to put some money into an oil change or even have your tires inspected. It should go without saying that a full tank of gas is probably a good idea as well. If you make these preparations ahead of time, you’ll be in a much better position if the actual track of the hurricane is pointing toward you. Pretty much anyone from Miami to Boston should be keeping a close eye on Irene in case it’s forecasted track changes. A slight shift west or east could make a huge difference in where it’s actual landfall is. If you don’t have a car but you have the money for one, use the internet to research the type of car in your area. For instance, if you lived in south Florida and were interested in an Acura, you may be interested in http://www.westpalmbeachcarblog.com. Many dealerships have blogs to help people find the right kind of car to suit their needs. |
