PARADOX

Just a few word. Best of luck and be safe "up there".
Don't take my comments as "expert" advise. I'm no expert but I been through a bunch of hurricanes in Fl. I have a bit of experience, + as a licenced CGC, we had to have some training. SO just take my notes with a grain of salt sort of speak.
Looking at Irene, not a strong hurricane but very big. Effect will be wide spread. I seen trees with bark pretty much gone like it was sand blasted, so fying junk will be in issue. For boats, try to cover them with a tarp or get them out of open areas, inside. At 100 MPH all the chit fying around will F' up the finish. Just think how much rain hurts at 70. Many trees/branches will fall = power loss, demage to what ever is under them. Protect your windows from flying glass if they brake. Plywood, shuters or even duct tape them all over. It's a cat2. may be cat 1 by the time it gets to the NY area. I don't see major structural or building problems. I'm sure a few weak roofs might need some refurbishing next week.
I think the storm surge will be an issue. If you need to get out of town GET.. Many will have flood issues and roof issues. Protect your critical docs. Garbage bags or get some plastic containers. Be prepaired that tap water may not be good, due to flooding and sewer water mixing into the system. Buy food that you may not need to cook. Power loss will be extensive. Anything you can pick up around your house or neighbors house, get rid of it. IF you can pick it up,? the wind will surely make it a flying object. Just trying to help a bit, but most importantly be safe and be calm. Lets hope this thing goes further East.

Macklin

We are fully stocked with fuel and oil for the generator, beer, ice, bottled and tub full of water, propane for the grill and bags packed in case one of our many trees decides to come down on the house. (Said a prayer to the good lord this morning to offer a helping hand for that.)

But, we are encouraged by the latest update. Max winds are down to 85 and it just made landfall. By the time it gets up here is will hopefully be down from that.

Outer Banks WILL get hammered. Best of luck to all down there. Especially if you did not evacuate!

Jluloff

Best of luck to you guys Macklin....be safe!

Apathetic

Macklin, judging by the Dominion Virginia Power outtage I'm guessing the powers out right about now? http://www.dom.com/storm-center/domi...outage-map.jsp Click interactive. Virginia is losing more power than NC according to it! Turns out this may be another Isabel like storm for us Virginians.

Edit: Wanted to ad that DVP was not prepared for what it's getting. There estimate as of yesterday for power outage was 250,000 - 750,000. Last news report has it at 650,000 and much of Virginia hasn't even felt the full affects of Irene.

Keep safe!

Macklin

Still here!

Thanks for the well wishes. Tides are coming up fast. We are on high ground, but are most concerned about our friends on Bay Island.

Hoping for the best!

Smarty

Raining very hard in southern New Jersey, getting windy,power, and cable TV/internet are still operational. I have a very good friend who is riding the storm out in Cape May NJ. He is at one of the highest points in Cape May 14' above sea level. I think he should have left Cape May. Tomorrow morning high tide (about 8:00 AM) and storm surge in that that area will be once in a lifetime stuff according to the weather forecasters (for Cape May NJ).

Apathetic

How bad are the winds you are seeing? We have a little brighter report for our area (I'm near Urbanna and Windmill Point):

Tonight: Tropical storm conditions expected, with hurricane conditions possible. Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 69. North wind 35 to 45 mph, with gusts as high as 65 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts in excess of 4 inches possible.

Sunday: A chance of rain before noon. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Breezy, with a west wind between 17 and 24 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Hope all you guys and gals remain safe and your property protected.

Jluloff

Glad to hear you are doing well

Macklin

Getting bad now. Eye is directly to the east. Bout the same as Isabel in 2003. But we were at the oceanfront fot that storm. We are now about 10 miles away in our new house on the Lynnhaven River. Still watching the water level rise. OMG!

Wife just made a hot dinner.

Wish us luck!

AB From Windsor

Good luck to everyone!