Hurricane Irene's Flood "Could Be a Hundred-Year Event"

This link is to the Weather Underground's "Severe Weather" page. I elaborated about the page's links on JanforGore's post.
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/

http://www.theatlantic.com/video/archive/2011/08/hurricane-irenes-terrifying-sca...

This excerpt of a video from the International Space Station reveals the unbelievable size of Hurricane Irene as it approaches the eastern coast of the U.S. This video was taken from 230 miles above Earth on August 24, 2011.
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It is a beast. I think this is going to be the "big storm" NYC has been worrying about for some time now. That little earthquake that happened the other day was nature's way to get everyone alert and ready for the rage they are about to be put through.

I have memories of joining my vessel, a DD, fresh out of "A" school in Norfolk in 1954. I am saying this because of Hurricane CAROL (which is forshadowi­ng because that is also the first name of my wife of over 40 years). Check out the storm tracks. There is a good historical engine within WUNDERGROU­ND.COM. They look almost identical, and that gave me a chill. This could get bad, people.

I just took this picture about thirty minutes ago. This is just a tiny outer ring of Hurricane Irene from Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

CONTINUED...

PART TWO...

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Sunday's dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington, remains on schedule, officials said after studying the track of Irene. They will make another assessment Friday.

The cone of uncertainty -- the area that could be affected by Irene depending on what path it follows over the next several days -- includes much of the Northeastern. Even if the hurricane does not make landfall, heavy rains could trigger flooding.

"The biggest concern is getting people to pay attention and make sure they are ready," Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate said in an interview with CNN. Residents should have the necessary supplies and an evacuation plan ready, he said.

The National Hurricane Center has said Irene could strengthen to Category 4 status.

The storm could weaken as it works its way up the U.S. East Coast in the coming days. "As it gets closer to the Northeast, it will run into the cooler Labrador Current, and that -- along with some more wind shear -- should allow Irene to lose some strength," said HLN meteorologist Bob Van Dillen.

The U.S. Navy is sending 27 ships based in Norfolk, Virginia, out to sea to ride out Irene, a senior Navy official told CNN. An aircraft carrier is among them. Another 28 ships will seek more sheltered areas.

Three submarines were heading out to sea as well.

CNN's Larry Shaughnessy, on board the USS Wasp, could see several warships ahead and others behind as they steadily worked their way out into the Atlantic. There are 1,500 personnel on board the Wasp -- 1,000 sailors and 500 Marines. Things were orderly on the ship, Shaughnessy said.

While the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise was heading out, three others in Norfolk were in various states of maintenance and could not safely be put out to sea.

Military officials planned to make a decision Thursday about moving aircraft in the area, as well.

While Florida is not expected to get the worst of Irene, the state was feeling the storm's effects Thursday, said CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras.

"Rough surf, rip currents and erosion on Atlantic beaches and wind advisories with gusts to 40 mph expected," Jeras tweeted.

On the Bahamas island of Mayaguana, several churches reported damage, including losing parts of their roofs, the National Emergency Management Agency said. Dozens of homes were damaged, as well.

On Crooked Island, a high school's roof was blown off. Part of one church, St. John's Baptist, collapsed. On Acklins Island, a large portion of the settlement Lovely Bay was destroyed, and several homes were blown away, NEMA said.

A police station's roof was blown off on North Cat Island, along with other damage, Bahamas Information Services said.

Bahamas officials said they expected visitors to return quickly to the island. Airports were expected to be back in operation Friday morning and cruise ship ports were scheduled to reopen late Thursday.

"Initial assessment of the impact on major tourism areas in Nassau and Grand Bahama Island indicates limited damage and points to a quick return to normal operations," the Ministry of Tourism & Aviation said in a statement.

The death toll from Irene in the Dominican Republic increased to two, according to Jose Luis German, deputy director of the Emergency Operations Center in Santo Domingo. One person died in Puerto Rico.

South Carolina state officials have decided not to order evacuations but urged boaters and swimmers to stay out of the water.

Storm preparations were less intense along the Virginia coastline and the Eastern Shores of Maryland -- the area swamped by Hurricane Isabel in 2003.

One resident was hopeful that Irene would pass close by.

"Dear Irene, please bring rain. Thank you," read a handwritten sign on a mailbox in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, region, where residents are being affected by smoke from a stubborn wildfire that has been burning in the Dismal Swamp.

"Hurricane Irene may be the only way to get enough rainfall to assist the firefighters and put this relentless fire out," said Penelope Penn.

In Crisfield, Maryland, Ginger Wilson said her family will stay put as Irene approaches this weekend.

"We'll probably have some extra water, get some canned vegetables and foods, and make sure the pantry is full," she told CNN affiliate WBOC-TV. "Just have any extra supplies -- batteries, radios, anything that would be helpful."

The last major hurricane to strike the United States was Wilma in 2005, which was a Category 3 at landfall in southwest Florida, Jeras said.

Hurricane Katrina, earlier the same year, was also a Category 3 at landfall. The most recent hurricane to make landfall in the United States was Ike in 2008, which hit near Galveston, Texas, as a Category 2.

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CNN's Josh Levs, Ed Payne, Melanie Whitley, Phil Gast, Catherine E. Schoichet, Paul Courson, Barbara Starr and John Fricke contributed to this report.

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