Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene Post

 

(Hurricane Advisory as of this post, in red.)

As you very well know, or may not because you’ve lived under a rock, there is a major hurricane battering it’s way onto the eastern seaboard of the United States.

The bitch in question is Irene.

Landing in the US on Thursday, the storm packed initial winds of 120+ mile per hour strength, and has caused havoc wherever it went.

This blogger lives in a portion of New York State where while it won’t be hit as bad as New York City or New Jersey, 60 mile per hour sustained winds are no laughing matter either.

As a matter of fact, 60 is the magic number for ALL major bridges/tunnels to be CLOSED in the state for sustained winds.

Ever since the coverage of the event started on Wednesday, unprecedented measures have been taken to ensure the safety of residents and buildings of the about-to-be affected areas.

While for some folks in the South where these massive storms are a way of life, NYC hasn’t been directly hit by a hurricane since 1938!

In a historic response to the sea-faring storm, Governors Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie, of New York and New Jersey respectively, have both declared STATE OF EMERGENCY for their state. Usually relegated to major snowstorms, this is the first time in my lifetime this is happened for a rain equivalent.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg of NYC forced Zone A (aka, low level areas susceptible to flooding) residents, as well as hospitals and senior living centers in that area, to evacuate ASAP. Christie did the same thing for the people near the Jersey Shore and Atlantic City.

So to recap, essentially all hell is going to break loose either today (as this blog is published), or tomorrow depending on the locale. I know some people have already been directly hit by the storm.

I pray for them.

I know some friends who are living in Jersey or in New York City, and thus are forced to leave their homes.

I pray for them.

Worse yet, I have family who lives in NYC, Long Island, and well, scattered all over NYS for that matter.

No matter the severity, I’ll always pray for them.

Hopefully when I wake up Monday morning, nothing would have been lost and everything will return to normal. I know that goes the same for MILLIONS of people on the coast. With that in mind, be safe and take care of yourself, and each other.

Flickr Tags: hurricane,tropical storm,irene,national weather service,new york city,state,new jersey,northeast,carolina,north,south,weather,tropics