Gone Far Enough

Irene continues to weaken. Wind shear is tearing at the storm as it approaches N. Carolina. The storm hasn't had a true "eye" since yesterday. Now that all the media outlets are in on the show, they cannot back peddle on warnings lest they be responsible for the outcome. I take this storm seriously, as any storm, but let us rationally view all the warnings and orders issued today from various government agencies. The government must order evacuations in our post-Katrina world. It doesn't matter how many times we've sat in our low-lying homes through a variety of tropical storms, without being forced to evacuate. It's what government needs to do. What you need to do is view this coming storm with respect and rationality, and a mind for the dangers this storm truly represents.

Irene will dump lots of rain, causing street flooding all over the area. It will swell rivers, although probably not to historic levels. There will be wind, more constant than we're used to. Certain low-lying areas will see some tidal flooding, particularly the Rockaways and Coney Island. Irene's large size and slow movement have put lots of water in movement, and that will find its way to our shores. The Rockaways are no stranger to tidal flooding -it happens a lot in late fall and winter during Nor' Easters. I believe it's this forecast of tidal flooding that is putting the city to mandatory evacs, even though the actual flooding may be significantly less than the statistical potential of Irene.

I do take exception to NPR announcers' (and whomever else is saying it) use of the phrase "storm of unprecedented, historic proportions." The only thing unprecedented about Irene is the widespread governmental response, the closing of public transportation and mandatory evacuations. Moving the National Guard to Long Island -err that is awfully unprecedented, and certainly lacking proportion. Hurricane Gloria was sure to hit Long Island in 1986, and the guard was not sent in. We had a week without electricity, and they still didn't send the guard in. 

I'm glad they are giving till 5 pm to evacuate the islands because I have major plans to hit the beach farm tomorrow to pick some tomatoes before they are knocked and rotted by this mean ol' Irene.