Hurricane Irene is still headed toward the northeast megalopolises, a Category 1 hurricane with a major storm surge and inland flooding threat. Storm surge is a destructive element of a hurricane that is likely to happen.
An update from the local (The Cedar Island Ferry Terminal) measured sustained winds of 90 mph, gusting to 110 mph at 7:19am, and a trained spotter on Atlantic Beach measured sustained winds of 85 mph, gusting to 101 mph at 10:35 am. The Hurricane Hunters measured 80 mph winds over water at the time of landfall.
Here's Hurricane Irene picture taken by NOAA:
Click on the image to maximizeMalloy said the storm surge from Hurricane Irene could be between 4-7 feet and residents in shoreline and low-lying areas should get out before the storm hits. “This should never be a game of chicken,” he said.
ConEd's senior vice president of electric operations may preemptively shut off electricity to customers south of the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan on Sunday morning if conditions appear right for Hurricane Irene to cause a serious storm surge, the company said on Saturday. The decision would be made between 2 am and 10 am EDT on Sunday (0600-1400 GMT) based on the likely size of the storm surge and flooding when Hurricane Irene hits.
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) reminds residents along the US coastlines that hurricanes pack more than just destructive winds – they are also accompanied by potentially devastating storm surges.
