IRENE, what is going on in your area

[Twende]

We are in the Raleigh Durham area of NC. So far there has been nothing major for us. Some rain and wind. We have two trees down but neither hit the house. The one needed to come down anyway.

Many in Wake Co are out of power. So far ours is still on.

There are four dead in the NC area, all storm related. One was an 11 year old boy who was killed inside his home by a tree falling into it.

This is our first experience with a hurricane and I will be glad when it is done. the waiting for something to happen is nerve wracking.

Keep safe up north. Irene is a coming. We sang Goodnight Irene to her last night. Maybe that helped us!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Hi Mickeyfan and thank you for your kind words.

As you know, we felt earthquake here this week and news of hurricane was a second shock to us as we usually do not have either. On Thursday when I did my emergency shopping, it all felt so unreal and many people looked lost and mentally unprepared. On Friday I saw empty shelves and much less people in stores while much more on roads, hopefully leaving to safety.

I did shopping, so plenty of food, water and candles. I tied everything on my balcony and removed everything that can fly. Hoping for better.

So far, as of 4;12PM there are no changes, still rain an still not much of the wind. Stay safe everyone.

you are welcome.. stay safe... and away from your windows in the event wind does kick up...you don't want to be in the way if something comes flying thru it.. if things do start flying, put a large piece of furniture in the front of your big windows.. it won't stop the window from breaking, but it will prevent the glass from shattering in at you..

 

[KellyNY]

Hi gang,
Stuck at work. The FDNY is in full operations, right now. A little drizzle here in Nyc, otherwise not much. stuck at the fire house untill who knows when.

That is the worst. While we all try to find a safe spot, if something will get wrong you are the one who will come to help us regardless of storm, wind and water. Thank you for your service and I hope you will not need to leave fire house till it is all over.

 

[Victoriarose1968]

Edgewood, MD area (about 25-30 minutes north of baltimore)

Heavy wind and rain. Trees swaying kinda hard near the tops. Power still on and no large tree branches down (yet).

Everybody please stay safe and good luck.

 

[KellyNY]

you are welcome.. stay safe... and away from your windows in the event wind does kick up...you don't want to be in the way if something comes flying thru it.. if things do start flying, put a large piece of furniture in the front of your big windows.. it won't stop the window from breaking, but it will prevent the glass from shattering in at you..

That a great tip, thank you.

 

[Jennifer81]

Here in Walterboro, SC.. the lowcountry. Irene missed us, lucky this go round. Mucho thoughts going up for you guys in harms way! Hope all is well!

 

[M5ward]

South Jersey - Inland of Atlantic City
We are having steady, sometimes heavy, rain with increasing winds. We are ready for loss of power, have extra water and food. I haven't seen a car on our street in a few hours so hopefully people are staying indoors.

I'm about 10 miles inland from Atlantic City..rain is getting heavier but the winds are pretty mild which I expect will start to change over the next couple of hours. There is very little traffic..my husband went to church about an hour ago..wonder how many other "good Catholics ventured out
We're one block into the evacuation zone but are staying put..hope sleeping pill works tonight.
Everyone stay safe..

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Living here in Fl, most bldgs are not very high, not like back North. I was just reading this on the NOAA site and thought I would pass this along. I was shocked when I read it and something I never thought of. It doesn't happen with all storms, but is with this one.. so you guys out there in the real high rises.. please take note of this....and be very careful.. if you can, I would put something over the windows in the event they were to shatter in...


http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/272057.shtml?

MORE SO THAN WITH MOST STORMS...THE WINDS WITH IRENE INCREASE SHARPLY WITH HEIGHT ABOVE THE SURFACE. AS IRENE MOVES THROUGH AREAS WITH HIGH-RISE STRUCTURES...

THESE STRUCTURES WILL EXPERIENCE WINDS SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN INDICATED BY THE ADVISORY INTENSITY.

WINDS AT THE 30-STORY LEVEL WILL LIKELY BE 20 PERCENT
HIGHER THAN AT THE SURFACE...AND WINDS 80-100 STORIES UP COULD BE ABOUT 30 PERCENT HIGHER THAN AT THE SURFACE.

 

[mdgpop]

We are on the Maryland/ Eastern Shore Virginia border very close to Chesapeake Bay. We live a few hundred feet from the Pocomoke river. Expect exreme high tide midnight 4-8 ft above normal. We have winds approx 40 mph right now and has been raining since 9:00 am. Luckily no power outages.

 

[Jennifer81]

Be safe you guys! <3 Us southerners are used to this, its NO joke.

 

[Oregon mouse lover]

My family is praying for all of you. Hope you all stay safe.

 

[wdwnut61]

It's been raining steady since noon, now the rain is picking up with wind gusts from time to time. We are expecting the worst around midnight when the eye passes over. The trees are swaying and the house is creeking with every gust. I pray we don't loose the power but feel it is inevitable.

 

[SparklyDiva]

It's very muggy and eerily calm here in northern CT (about 20 minutes from the Mass border). We had some steadier rain a couple hours ago but nothing but sprinkles right now and no wind....yet.

 

[dalstitch45]

We have been having steady rain here since about 1:00 p.m. The rain and wind intensity are starting to pick up. We have have had a lot of rain in the past couple of weeks, so this is not good for us. The ground is so saturated. The concern is what is going to happen when the wind picks up later tonight, and the effect on the trees and power lines. We have already had flash flooding today. We are bunkered down until this is over, which is forecasted to be around 4:00 p.m. tomorrow. We are under a tornado warning until 8:00 this evening. So far we still have power. To everyone who is in the path of Irene like us, please stay safe. I am saying prayers for all of us.

As I am typing this, I am hearing the wind gusts picking up.

 

[bjakmom]

We evacuated (manditory) our house in Cape May County yesterday afternoon and came north to DDs in Smithville - evacuated (manditory) DDs house with DH this afternoon and came 3 miles further inland so we could be here with my parents. Both DDs, DSiL and DGrDs went further inland to inlaws in EHTwp, who had generator and spare bedrooms.
Currently we are experiencing heavy rain and moderate wind - going to be a loooong night - they were just reporting tornadoes in NE MD just across from Cape May.
On the bright side, I have enjoyed a wonderful day sewing for DGrDs b'day with my mom - and she cooked us a delicious lasagna dinner - a homecooked dinner made by your mom at my age is a real treat! Stay safe everyone!

 

[rockin2it]

I live in Maryland and it's been raining since about 11:30am. The wind is picking up now and unfortunately 2 windows of ours are leaking.

 

[shoes99]

Heavy winds and rain here in Central NJ. The winds just started but it has been raining for 4 hours. We are 1 mile from the Raritan Bay which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. We are high up enough that we don't have to evacuate but I am afraid of the winds. In March 2010 in a Tropical Storm we lost 1/2 our roof. Hope the new 18 mo old roof holds up in the winds.
Michele

 

[Aunt Ni Ni]

There are a lot of us from south jersey! I am also about 5 miles inland from the mandatory evacuation line outside of Atlantic City. The wind and rain have just started to get a little heavier. Looks like the eye is going to go right over us! It is going to be a long night.

 

[joell51868]

There are a lot of us from south jersey! I am also about 5 miles inland from the mandatory evacuation line outside of Atlantic City. The wind and rain have just started to get a little heavier. Looks like the eye is going to go right over us! It is going to be a long night.

I noticed that, too.

The winds are just starting to pick up here for us, we're about 15miles from the del. bay and right outside Cape May Co, our family is from Cape May so their all up here staying with us. We have the tornado warning until 8pm (like a pp mentioned) hoping we dont lose power.

 

[KellyNY]

7;40PM, getting worse, rain is pretty heavy, cannot really see much out of the window. Wind is getting stronger but not yet to the point of being called a hurricane. Expecting strongest wind at night and early morning. I can see police cars patrolling shore area. Time to get out canldes out, hope power will still be on but who knows. Stay safe everyone.