Weekend Weather: Hurricane Irene

Irene is a big storm, even without looking at the news! I'm inland 25 miles and not in the path(above Edisto Beach) We are getting small gusts and rain, supposed to get worse after 6pm. the worst of the storm will come before the eye and then really bad after the eye. charleston city is getting lots of rain, with power lines down already, and their not in the path either!

Even if it slows to a cat 1, 70 mph is a lot, because, if can last for hrs. Just imagine, sticking your head out the window of your car going 70mph for 2 or 3 hrs.

Good luck to all of you up North!

Jo

Yes, please be wary of this storm, our northern neighbors! As a survivor of Katrina, I can attest that you just can't know what might be about to hit you. Please take all necessary precations and be careful. My hopes and prayers will be with you. Here's hoping it takes a sudden turn out to sea where it won't threaten any of our eastern coast!

In the early 80s when I was in Japan, we had a typhoon (hurricane in the Pacific) come through. We did have lots of heavy wind and rain, but what really devastated my garden, in particular the tomatoes, was the salt water that had been picked up by the typhoon and was included in the rain and wind. The plants were still standing, but they were all burned brown from the salt.

Everyone take care, and as the weather forecasters are saying, "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best."

My prayers are with you all.

The main issue right now with Irene is the wind field. Tropical force winds are extending out 150+ miles right now. Hurricane force winds are extending out about 60 miles. These are SUSTAINED winds, not gusts.

The other issue is the rain shield. It's HUGE!! The eye is not supposed to move over coastal NC for another 13 hours, but they are already starting to receive some rain. The eye only means things are about half over, as you know. 26 hours of rain? Are you kidding me? And, all this is headed up the coast. Things will pick up speed as the hurricane weakens and goes subtropical, but still.

Speaking of Edisto Beach, they just reported waves of 25 feet!

The worst of the winds, again, are still offshore. They are in the northeast quadrant and near the eye. That is what is approaching The Outer Banks and points northeast of NJ.

One more thing for you all to watch in The Northeast as Irene approaches... Watch for the "dry slot" to start forming. As Irene closes in on land, she will start sucking dry air into her center from the mainland. Once this dry air starts wrapping around the center, she will start to weaken steadily and possibly rapidly. You can watch this happen on The Weather Channel when they show satellite images. They don't always mention it as it starts happening. But, dry air infiltration is the first sign Irene is starting to fall apart and lose her punch. She really can't strengthen much once this process happens so close to landfall.

This past week we were spending our vacation at Wildwood Crest, NJ and all was well until we were told we had to EVACUATE! We left at 9:30 am this morning, 99.9 % of the stores were already boarded up and closed. If anyone stayed, they would be left on their own - of course some of the locals stayed and hopefully they will be ok. All power will be turned off!

Anyway, we are now home in Central NJ awaiting Hurricane Irene to arrive and watching the news constantly (ugh). I wish everyone a safe weekend.

Glad you're home safe!

Thanks Camprn! We are glad to be home.

Looks like we'll be enjoying the same weather, Dunkinjean. Hope we ride it out safely with minimal damage and power outages!

I am in British Columbia, Canada, and I will be praying for all of you on the Eastern Seaboard of the USA and Canada.

we did get a little rain after all. Have a safe week end everyone.

If you are on the coast, and lose sattelite reception, Weather channel is live online, weather.com.

Thank Val.
LOL, My first thought was that if I lose cable I can look out the window and say, 'Yup, we're gettin' some weather'.

The New Englander says... http://ulocal.wmur.com/_Only-in-NH/photo/14843474/63455.html

camprn wrote:The New Englander says... http://ulocal.wmur.com/_Only-in-NH/photo/14843474/63455.html

Good stuff.

I've been watching the local updates online from time to time. I haven't seen any sustained winds over 50 mph anywhere on The Outer Banks yet. That's a good sign for you up north.

We just lay down the 6' and 10' runner bean trellises. Starting to get a wee bit breezy.

camprn wrote:We just lay down the 6' and 10' runner bean trellises. Starting to get a wee bit breezy.

I can't wait to see what Mt. Washington reports!

Well, here in Central NJ the heavy rains started this afternoon and evening. As everyone here one of my main concerns is my SFG garden! There are priorities!!

Dunkinjean wrote:Well, here in Central NJ the heavy rains started this afternoon and evening. As everyone here one of my main concerns is my SFG garden! There are priorities!!

- lol. I noticed about an hour or so ago that the wind started picking up and that the real downpours were starting. My potted plants are all on the porch - I too am worried about the SFG! My folks down in Delaware say that their lights are starting to flicker.

I have to say, fear of freezing temps with no power aside, winter weather is much more fun.

I would be interested to know how everyone's SFGs survived. Good luck all.

Well my trellis didn't survive. I took the dog out a few minutes ago and the trellis was almost completely knocked over. I decided to topple it the rest of the way, as gently as possible. I figure the tomato plants growing on it have grown all season, and perhaps their main stems will survive the turmoil better if they're all laid out flat now rather than exposed to the wind. Either way, I've got one of each type in a pot safely in my sheltered porch, so it's all good.

Well, the good news is that the NWS just downgraded Irene to a tropical storm. The fastest winds they can find are now 65mph. It's downhill from there as Irene has no more power source. Still a lot of rain and some decent winds, but most of the catastrophic threat has expired if you live inland.

Obviously, flooding and soil saturation with trees toppling on power lines will take over the headlines now. Hope none of you are the 4 million currently without power. But, I guess we won't know that for a few days yet. We are thinking of you!

The center line of the storm is currently predicted to pass about 5 miles to my west. Wind is picking up and lights occasionally flickering. I am wishing this wind will ease my burden and take down a few of my neighbors obnoxious, shade inducing 120' white pine trees.

Lol Camprn, that would be a fortunate thing to have happen!

Although we in Western New York weren't supposed to really feel much from Irene, the day is feeling really ominous. It's very very dark out, really cold, and the winds are pretty strong. No rain, though.

Hang in there, everyone!

May they fall AWAY from your house/property.

We were not supposed to get any rain today,or in fact this week, but we awoke to rain here in NE TX, thanks to those who prayed for Irene to send rain our way.





Seriously though, I'm glad it was not as bad as it could have been. Latest news topic seems to be "Did the government overreact". Please keuep politics out, but I am curious what my gardening friends have to say, do you think local and state officials overreacted to this event by evacuating?



My 2 cents, as always, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".