NOAA’s Phony “Hurricane” Coming On Shore With 33 MPH Winds

[Update : NOAA has lowered their initial estimate of wind speed due to a “sharp discrepancy” between airplane and surface data. http://weather.herald.com/]

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NOAA claims the winds are 85 MPH, but none of the Weather Underground stations in the area report higher than 33 MPH winds. By definition, this is not a hurricane – and is just barely a tropical storm.

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SUMMARY OF 800 AM EDT…1200 UTC…INFORMATION
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LOCATION…34.7N 76.5W
ABOUT 5 MI…10 KM NNE OF CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA
ABOUT 60 MI…100 KM SW OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…85 MPH…140 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NNE OR 15 DEGREES AT 14 MPH…22 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…952 MB…28.11 INCHES

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762 Responses to NOAA’s Phony “Hurricane” Coming On Shore With 33 MPH Winds

  1. omnologos says:

    “Climate Crock” sadly reported the effects would be dangerous because of a previous weather front in the area. Accuweather now says the effects will be dangerous because of Irene’s size.

    You know it’s a dud of a hurricane when it’s forecasted to be dangerous for reasons other than being a hurricane.

    • But it isn’t a hurricane. It is barely a tropical storm.

      • Franv says:

        Keep up the good work. How about the reported rainfall of 10-12in already in NC?

      • sck says:

        Dr. Jeff Master’s WunderBlog -Posted by: JeffMasters, 7:58 AM GMT on August 27, 2011 As of 300AM EDT, Hurricane Irene was located at 33.7N, 76.5W, 60 miles south of Cape Lookout. It was moving north-northeast at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, making it a Category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Irene has a minimum central pressure of 952 mb.

      • Matt says:

        Go tell the people whose homes are being flooded it isn’t a hurricane, tell the aircraft pilots with scientific data that it’s not real. 953 mb is not real, huh? It’s nice that you can “preach” from your cushy location.

      • em woo says:

        Maybe they left the anemometers set on “metric”

      • Brian says:

        What planet are you on??? I live in North Myrtle Beach and we had tropical storm force winds with gusts up to 55mph for the last 18 hours and Irene only came within 150 miles of us. I have friends in Outer Banks with Hurricane force winds. Perhaps you should check your facts before posting.

      • Bryan Steele says:

        I laughed when they said that the Northern Atlantic Seaboard wasn’t prepared for this type of occurrence. The nor’easters that occur up there are much worse than this.

      • Dr.Spock says:

        Has anybody checked with obama`s weather underground czar Bill Ayers on his forecast ? Never waste a crisis, whether real or just hype. It`s clear this regime will go to any lengths to prop up their front man barry sotero as anything but the phoney that he is.

      • Jim in Florida says:

        So, the storm has weakened – what is your point? The winds aren’t as strong as was expected so its a fake storm? Is it a fake storm surge? Are the tornadoes this thing is spinning off fake too? Perhaps we should discuss with the people in the Bahamas, to tell us what this fake storm did to them.

        It’s sad, really, to see these supposed “experts” whining about the storm on Saturday morning. I suppose you expected that the winds wouldn’t be as strong 3 or 4 days ago, right?

        God, leave it to the moddycoddled Yanks up the east coast to act like complete assholes during a hurricane.

        Perhaps you might want to ask the 2 dead men (at least) why is it that a fake storm knocked a tree on top of them and killed them.

        They will take comfort knowing they were killed by a tropical storm, not a hurricane, huh?

        Goddard you are one shallow SOB.

      • Rooob says:

        This is irresponsible dribble. Tell that to the at least 5 dead and the people that have already had homes destroyed in VA beach. You need your words shoved back down your throat.

      • Phil says:

        Trade places with some people in New Bern that have had well over 12 inches of rain. Trade places with some local news reporters on the NC coast that have trouble standing and looking into camera as they give live coverage.

        Braveheart.

      • Ric H says:

        Maybe it is because those sensors max out at 33 mph? Like a windsock at an airport, you know the winds are either less than 15/20/25 knots, whatever the windsock is rated for. But once that sucker is straight out, it could be 26 knots or 100, you just don’t know. Looking at the dudes out getting sandblasted on TV, I think it is slightly higher than 33 mph Steve.

      • Phil says:

        Fox News is still reporting 80 mph winds at Hurricanepalooza. I’ve been watching coverage all day and using Weather Underground. I haven’t seen a true wind at ground level above about 50 mph (Morehead City, NC-rainfall = 5.75). I’m working hard to verify FNC with readings from multiple weather stations up and down the eastern seaboard. What storm are they covering?

      • RichmondHurricane says:

        It’s barely a tropical storm? Yeah, in Richmond, VA…. where we have sustained 35-40mph winds with the center 100 miles away.
        It’s really shameful that you’re using this as a political statement….that it’s some conspiracy. I wonder what Bob McDonnell would think about that? Considering his state is a underwater right now.

      • F15EMoose says:

        Steven,

        At first I wanted to slam you, but after looking at the current observations from every buoy reporting on NOAA’s website, I couldn’t find a wind speed in excess of 40 knots–ANYWHERE on the East Coast. This thing has been so overblown because Obama wants to be the great recovery leader…..he couldn’t lead a troop of Brownies through a mall without getting waylayed…..

        Moose out.

      • To everyone who is jumping all over this guy, he isn’t saying that a tropical storm can’t do damage or that Irene won’t hurt anyone, he’s just saying that words mean things and that a tropical storm is different than a hurricane, and when you see people who know the difference calling it a hurricane when it doesn’t meet the definition, then that’s the definition of politics entering into the equation.

      • Jerry says:

        You are right on. I’ve been telling everybody all week this is going to be a big media overhype.

      • Sean says:

        Hey i got a great idea!!! lets argue on a blog about mother nature, and whether or not its killing people….cause it is. grow up.

    • Russ Felix says:

      Its nice to have your intuition confirmed by a national forcasting agency and the entire (almost) news media. That intuition being that this is not a really big storm…. Let the back-peddling begin!

    • Ima Idyot says:

      Three biggest fallicies of the 21st century in the U.S.

      1. Al Gore predicts “Global Warming” is the end of human kind.
      2. Hurricane Irene will be Obama’s Katrina, only done right.
      3. President Obama will go down in history as the U.S.’s greatest president.

      • Kyle says:

        The Gulf oil spill was Obama’s Katrina

      • Kelly says:

        Yes – 3 points of good lies.

      • sck says:

        Thank you Ima- the only problem with Irene is the people actually heeded the warnings to evacuate. 🙂 But no worries, BHO will create a …….something!

      • Irene is a low grade tropical storm. However, Obama will still use it as an opportunity to ride to the rescue. Not one to let any imaginary disaster “go to waste” the boy king’s Chicago Mob will will create a back door multi-billion dollar stimulus. The result will be a half-dozen union types to pick up one tree limb. Watch and perhaps you will learn!

    • tmbttd says:

      Whether Irene is or is not a “real” hurricane is a moot point, especially from my perspective here in Texas where, like Lousiana and Florida, Carolinas, who know what “REAL” hurricanes are…the rest of you are mere rank amateurs. However, what would have made me laugh until I fell out of my chair would have been if a weather reporter was suddenly blown off his/her feet and some moron out driving in the goop with they and their vehicle wound up being turned over and wrapped around a utility pole.

      Gotta love Gov. Christie’s admonition to get “….the hell off the beach.”

      Tickle me silly if you gawkers got electrocuted or impailed by a piece of flying storm debris!

      • jon says:

        Yea the rest of us are real “amatuers”…meaning we’re not stupid enough to live in a place that can be hit by a hurricane…congrats for being a moron…

      • Cindy says:

        I lived through two hurricanes in Houston (Alicia and Ike), but Tropical Storm Allison was no slouch herself when it came to property damage and lives lost. Over it’s entire path it killed 41 people, 23 in Texas alone (mostly Houston). It shouldn’t be taken lightly just because it’s a tropical storm.

      • slp says:

        If you look at the tracks of the 2004 storms Charley, Frances, and Jeanne, I live very close to the intersection of the three. Charley was category 4 and the eye passed probably about a mile from my house. I did not lose power during it or Frances, and only a few hours while Jeanne passed, which moved much slower than the others. These were all within about 6 weeks so the ground was rather saturated, the main reason for downed trees rather than wind. And, as I mentioned in another post, tropical cyclones are not typically as violent as our summer thunderstorms, it is the longer duration and larger area covered that leads to a greater chance of damage.

      • Sam says:

        TMB, you are an idiot and you are laughing at a storm that has claimed five innocent lives so far. Hurricane, tropical storm, bad storm, what the hell ever. What a smug ass you are.

    • NunyaBidniss says:

      Yeh, only a million people don’t have power. No prob, bob!

    • looneytoonsindville says:

      If the deceiver-in-chief is leading the response to this storm, then you know it has to be an “oh, never mind”; otherwise, they would have a competent leader in charge!

    • Beve says:

      A cat 1 isn’t enough to convince Floridians to bring the lawn furniture inside. Let us know when you get a real storm. The hype is unreal and utterly stupid.

      • NYCMe says:

        A dirty shanty town in backwoods Florida isn’t like a real city. Let us know when you get a real building. The hype you backwoods couch warriors post is unreal and utterly stupid.

  2. papertiger says:

    the storm band directly East of Boston, that’s being blown on a trajectory of it’s own out to sea.
    It was over Maryland around midnight. I’m thinking whatever moved it will be moving the whole kit shortly.

  3. mwhite says:

    “Hurricane Irene: Obama warns of ‘historic’ storm”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14687944

    “President Barack Obama has warned that Hurricane Irene, currently looming off the east coast of the US, could be a “historic” storm.

    Seven states from North Carolina to Connecticut have declared emergencies ahead of Irene’s arrival.

    Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in parts of four states, and in low-lying areas of New York City.

    The category two storm has weakened a little and is expected to make landfall with winds of up to 100mph (155km/h).

    David Willis reports.”

    • Jay Cee says:

      Ah heck, everything with Obama is “historic”. No one cares about him anymore…too uncool for skool.

      He’s overused the word so much that no one really understands the meaning anymore. It’s not “historic” – unless you consider the hype the entire east coast has endured to get consumer spending up for the month…. Watching all the cars on the road in Norfolk on TWC gives you that knowledge.

      They should have been more careful about the “catastrophic” coverage and scaring little old ladies off a cliff.

      • Kelly says:

        I had a Historic Obama Doll this morning after my coffee

      • NYCMe says:

        Wow, you watched Norfolk? On TV and stuff? You obviously are better informed than the President of the United States.

        My family lives in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, and Hampton, VA. Nearly all of them are without power, the streets are horribly flooded, and hundreds of thousands are without power.

        Additionally, this marks the first time a Category 1 hurricane has hit the NJ coast since 1903. How is that not historic?

        But thanks. I’m always happy to hear expert reports from members of the 101st Armchair Battalion.

    • bucknaked2k says:

      Obama needs another excuse as to why the economy is still in the toilet. Tsunami, Arab Spring, Hurricane Irene…..anything but his failed stimulus and redistributive policies.

    • Russ Felix says:

      One of President Knuckle Knock’s greatest shortcomings is that he actually believes the people around him that are feeding us the bull. .How do I Know? I know because keeping your mouth shut until you know all the facts is necessary if you don’t want to reveal how little you actually know…. Something he violates on a regular basis….Beer sumit anyone?

    • Ima Idyot says:

      But remember, according to Hillary Clinton, “never waste a good crisis.”

    • tony moloney says:

      never let a crisis go to waste.

    • It’s only Obama’s amazing administrative skills that have kept Irene from being a Category 4 Hurricane. Come on. Get with the PROGRAM!

    • Russ says:

      You guys are morons im in Richmond VA not even near the eye and it is howling here. A Cat 1 here is like a cat 3. You need to realize the vegetation, animals, and structures around here are not built for even tropical storms. You can mock the power of this storm all you want. The truth is its no laughing matter where im at nor will it be when it hits NYC which hasn’t seen something like this in nearly 100 years.

    • Bobbie Butler says:

      I live in Texas and as you know we had the misfortune of having Hurricane Ike a few years ago. My husband and I moved here from Biloxi, Ms. so we have had to contend with many hurricanes through the years. Without a doubt there has been more hype over this storm than I`ve ever heard.I do understand that it doesn`t take a Cat 5 to do serious damage but, come on now! I have prayed for all those in the storms path because I do know exactly what you`re going through . However, we tough Texans, during and after Ike, just pulled ourselves up by the bootstraps and got on with the business of cleaning up, rebuilding and getting on with our lives. My home was severely damaged and we were without power for weeks and yet I felt extremely blessed because I had my family and they were all ok. My heart and prayers go out to all whose lives will be affected by this storm but don`t let the media scare you worse than you already are.

    • Mike says:

      What a joke, a cat 1 storm hits the east coast and they all crap their pants… The gulf coast just calls this rain…

      What a bunch of pansies.

      • Hotrod62 says:

        Hey Mike,,,,
        I;d like to see you get 20 inches of snow. Here in New England we laugh at that.
        I was in Washington DC once when they had 2 inches. The whole government shut down…cars were smashed all over the place…unbelieveable.
        Let’s just say that each part of the country has it’s own special strengths when it comes to weather.

      • Cindy says:

        2 inches of snow shutting down a city? Heck, we here in Houston only need sleet to shut down a city! Part of it is not the right equipment to de-ice the roads and bridges, and part because people around here aren’t used to driving in it, but some is because when it snows here we just like to play in it since it’s so rare (though it actually snowed twice in one season here a couple of years ago, which is amazing considering it’s probably only snowed five times in the 38 years I’ve lived here).

        And don’t let these people in here fool you. A Cat 1 hurricane would shut down this city too. But you’ve got to admit, the media these days practically salivates when they can be on air for hours at a time reporting this kind of stuff. They over-dramatize every weather event, to the point where people no longer pay attention.

      • inetmon, tampa, florida says:

        I moved out of upstate-NY to get away from the 13 months of winter every year. Now down here in Tampa, after 18 years, I can appreciate those who moved just a litte above (Carolinas for example), yet still out of NY. I won’t cause I love this little town and area, but summer gets oppressive at times. So seeing ‘heat-wave’ elsewhere can be almost humerous if the tradgidy that people die from it was not so true and serious. But it’s true that most regions have their plight (is that spelled right? ;). Small wonder so much coffee is related to Washington state… and such a suicide rate! Three days of no sun and the temp depression sure feels real.

        Shouts to Hotrod62… and keep the snow.

      • Mike says:

        Hotrod,

        There’s a difference between 20 inches of precipitation, frozen or otherwise, and a borderline cat 1 storm (with winds of 60mph technically a tropical storm) which causes 7 states to declare state of emergency and activate the National Guard, FEMA and Department of Homeland security with mandatory evacuations throughout.

      • Buildings are built in certain areas of the country to protect people in normal weather conditions and natural disasters that are common in that area. California’s building protect from earthquakes, midwest- tornadoes, florida- hurricanes, northeast- blizzards, Hawaii- volcanoes. Northeastern US has gotten both tornadoes and earthquakes in the past 3 months. We are still rebuilding some of our cities from them, and now have a hurricane (or tropical storm -whatever) on our hands. DO NOT downgrade the potential of any storm on any city UNLESS YOU ARE THERE FOR THE EXPERIENCE!
        We are not freaking out about this, the media is. And I think that anyone who has to go on and on about it, and let people know what they think are giving them the ability to rent space in their heads. Let people feel however they need to feel, and worry about whoever they need to worry about. THAT is none of your business. So what if the weather channel is right or wrong? Who cares if the media, or Obama, is making it bigger than it seems. People worry about their kids when they cross the street… why can’t they worry about their friends, families, and homes during a large storm that travels up the coast and is causing flooding everywhere along the way. Since Hurricane Katrina, people get worried about floods constantly. In some places ie even happens during a small thunder storm. Who are you to tell people how to feel? AND if you believe in the “end of the world,” then why would you want to make people feel better by telling them, “ah, its not so big!” ?
        THINK PEOPLE!

  4. truthsword says:

    I watched 5 towns in “landfall” area and no windspeeds went above 62, and the highest gust was 76… I know the response to this is higher up the windspeed is greater, but still….

    • truthsword says:

      Oops that highest gust should be 78, not 76…

      • Jared says:

        National Weather Service observations from Hatteras, NC so far indicate a very strong tropical storm, almost a weak Cat 1 hurricane.

        7:51 EDT: SE 57 G 75
        8:51 EDT: SE 59 G 79
        9:51 EDT: SE 55 G 87

        And the anemometer at Beaufort, NC is offline. That often happens in hurricane-force winds. Last reading:

        7:54 EDT: NE 49 G 63

        I trust the official 10-m anemometers that are kept by the National Weather Service more than the anemometers in the unofficial networks that are used by Weather Underground, Weather Bug, etc. You’d need to check out the location of every anemometer, make sure it’s located at 10 m AGL, and that there aren’t trees or buildings blocking the wind.

      • Combatweather says:

        I agree with Jared below. The NWS sites are maintained, calibrated and used for climate monitoring. I have seen some of these private “tinker toys” at various heights and locations. How often are they calibrated? How often are the ball bearings changed? If they are rusted, there can be some major starting thresholds. NOAA and the NWS are doing a great job and I fully trust the observations. Check out the METAR obs in the Carolinas. Some of the winds are 45-55MPH. As a nation this is a wake-up call. You should always be prepared. The power can go out for a week in a big storm like this and the government is not always going to be there to save you.

      • sck says:

        Agree with Jared and combat- i also questioned the position of the so-called gauge. To determine the category the speed is calculated close to the eye. Plus the writer didn’t tell the truth, the meteorologist for weather underground did in fact concur with twc.

      • Jack says:

        Don’t worry, combatweather, Carolinians stick together. Those of us farther inland will be giving supplies and shelter by tomorrow, just like in Floyd.

  5. DEEBEE says:

    Another thing BHO can blame for an anemic economy. Wait for devastation stories rivaling Katrina, not in optics but in $s

  6. This one had the Potential…to be a real bad one. Ones that look like nothing can suddenly turn and slam into someplace unexpected. Better safe than sorry.
    I evacuated my family out of the path just in case. We sat through a Super Typhoon when we couldn’t evacuate on a pacific Island. I will never disrespect a tropical storm!

    • bobb says:

      I’m sorry you were greatly misled by the Obama administration. I hope this did not have a significant impact on your family or your wallet.

      • RealityCheck says:

        You are insane with yor Obama Derangement Syndrome. My whole office is laughing at you. Keep it up with your idiotic comments, crazy people like you can be funny.

      • inetmon, tampa, florida says:

        bobb, keep up the good work.

        RC, either you are working in hell (or some other left-falling organization that produces nothing valuable and wastes my tax money) or you are a liar for saying that your ‘whole’ office is with you and your lack of objectively-observed-inspired humor. the fact that you take his post and refer to it as ODS make me suspect that you are ashamed of the result of your vote and have to refer to others in your post to get the spine to post anything based in your own reality-illiterate (ding me on spelling) mind, rather than standing on your own strength and oppinion.

    • Obeservationist says:

      It was the “prayers” that saved the east coast!!
      PRAIZE JEEEZUSS

  7. truthsword says:

    I can’t find any sustained windspeed above 55 mph, can’t find any gusts more than 75….

  8. Mike Mangan says:

    God is taunting Bill McKibben.

  9. WxDude says:

    Might want to look a little harder, guys. 14:35Z (10:35 AM EDT): Atlantic Beach, NC, sustained wind 85 with gusts to 101. That’s only one of several 80+ sustained and 95+ gusts reports this morning. Nice try…

  10. richard c says:

    What a bunch of wussys. Livin in southeast tx, ive been dealin with hurricanes my whole life. A cat 1 is nothinng…they never had this much media coverage when Ike hit us 3 yrs ago.

  11. john says:

    I agree with this guy. i have lived in Wilmington, Nc for 36 years, been through many hurricanes and this was nothing but a tropical storm from the beginning. We have had winds stronger than this in Winter. This was a giant bamboozle to bail out corporations like Walmart, HD, Lowes and the big grocers. Total fraud and once again Obozo has proven that you cannot believe a word he says.

    • andy says:

      Hurricane Andrew and Katrina were major pivots in my life and reasons for moves in and out of the New Orleans and the Keys. The old timers of these areas would be seroiusly saying this is not the storm that would deserve the media it is getting. One thing people do not realize is that people die every day in 5 mile an hour winds with .01 inch rains. It is not the deadly nature of the storm that people are dying, it is the deadly nature of life. This seems to be an event that is being used to help economy and practice fear mongering capabilitiy. Power outages can be staged.

  12. Two things seem to be at play here. One is the media’s nauseating overblown coverage, forewarning everyone about the coming storm. They will not be wrong! Two is the Governor’s fear of another Katrina. Everything else is just clouds and rain.

  13. truthsword says:

    Cool wind data by surfing around this noaa place

    http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/maps/Southeast.shtml

  14. skink says:

    The winds are only half the story. It’s the storm surge that presents the grave risks and the potential for monetary loss.

  15. Bogjohnd504 says:

    We have daily summer thunderstorms in New Orleans that produce more wind and rain then Irene!!

    • Nunyo Bidness says:

      I’ve had farts that produced more wind!

    • Duh says:

      Good for you. Your mother must be proud.

    • ldenton says:

      Well, I live in Mobile, Bogjohnd504. You obviously have never ridden a hurricane out. A thunderstorm lasts for what – 30 minutes to an hour? How about 12 or 14 hours of high winds and rain? I have been through many, many hurricanes. They are all dangerous because of the length of the storms. We’ve lost several trees and fences in Cat 1 storms. Get a life, or at least use your brain when you are replying.

  16. cjbomb says:

    I could care less about the govt or the media- what I do know is never underestimate big mama nature.

  17. True Believer says:

    Good reporting. You fail to mention that most of these stations haven’t reported in about two hours. Additionally, NHC has continually said that the strongest winds would be to the north and east of the eye, which has not come on shore yet. So hopefully you’re sitting on your front porch watching it come in and laughing at the “weak” storm when your neighbor’s house gets picked up.

  18. Storm says:

    Man – you people are dense. The danger from this storm is NOT wind speed. In fact, it’s not related to the storm at all, but to the area it’s impacting. Up north NY is an island – a low level island that is extremely susceptible to flooding. It’s much like a Katrina situation as far as the location goes. Storm surge will be the problem. This problem also applies to much of the east coast. It can also just decide to “sit” on the coast and pump water inland. To focus on wind is sophomoric. It also ignores the extreme possibility that this storm will strengthen as it moves back over water (which it will) and experiences eye wall regeneration. Wake up people.

    • Melee says:

      Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! The issue at hand is whether this storm is being properly labeled by meteorologists. If the winds are below 75mph it is considered a Tropical storm, if they are below 34mph it is a tropical depression. It is being hyped and everyone is trying to figure out why they would do that as a hurricane would cause mass hysteria and put the public in more danger than the storm itself could bring. The fact is that it will not strengthen because it will be moving into colder waters up north and it will dissapate, hurricanes get their strength from warm waters… hence the “tropical” designation it gets when it forms where? that’s right, the Tropics. Wanna talk about sophmoric! You obviously have no meteorlogical understanding, I am a novice when it comes to meteorology and I understand the basics about hurricanes! Sounds like you were the one sleeping through class and the only one that needs to wake up to reality, or come back to planet earth! LMFAO!!!

    • Melee says:

      Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! The issue at hand is whether this storm is being properly labeled by meteorologists. If the winds are below 75mph it is considered a Tropical storm, if they are below 34mph it is a tropical depression. It is being hyped and everyone is trying to figure out why they would do that as a hurricane would cause mass hysteria and put the public in more danger than the storm itself could bring. The fact is that it will not strengthen because it will be moving into colder waters up north and it will dissapate, hurricanes get their strength from warm waters… hence the “tropical” designation it gets when it forms where? that’s right, the Tropics. Wanna talk about sophmoric! You obviously have no meteorlogical understanding, I am a novice when it comes to meteorology and I understand the basics about hurricanes! Sounds like you were the one sleeping through class and the only one that needs to wake up to reality, or come back to planet earth!

    • “Sophomoric” is not even knowing NY is not an island, then implying everyone else is as short on facts as you. Manhattan is an island. It does not sit below sea level as NO, La. does. Katrina – strong cat 5. Irene, barely a hurricane, more tropical storm. Yes, lots of water. We have been hyped by Wolf cryers of Obama admin that this will be horrific. Go back into mommies basement and “fall back to sleep”. When YOU wake up, mommy will feed you! You voted for Obama didn’t you???!!

      • singlestack says:

        Katrina was a Cat. 3 when it made landfall near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The storm surge was equal to Cat. 5.
        Katrina didn’t hit New Orleans directly. The only reason parts of the city flooded is because 2 levees failed when storm bands pushed water from Lake Ponchartrain against them..

    • wabmaster7 says:

      Hey Storm … how do you think all that water gets to where you fear? Answer: wind causes the vast majority of the storm surge
      That’s why the wind discussion is relevant.
      7 ft of surge caused a lot of flooding problems in New Bern, NC. If 7ft will cause something likewise in NY, then it will be a problem given the relatively small winds from this ‘cane.

    • WENDY says:

      MY FAMILY IS ON LONG ISLAND AND FLOODING IS THE MAIN CONCERN. EVACUATION AREAS ARE ALL KNOW FLOOD AREAS
      BUT THAT INCLUDES HALF WAY THE WIDTH OF ISLAND IN TWARDS THE CITY IN NASSUA

    • ACR says:

      It’s like Katrina except Manhattan is actually above sea-level …. water will drain off of Manhattan.

    • gorbud says:

      I’ve lived in NY my entire 67 years. We have had many hurricanes hit NY and LI and they caused damage and flooding. The storm of 1938 was a true killer. But during my lifetime no evacuations or subway closings! No Mayor on TV and radio giving over detailed instructions of what to do or not to do. Guess it is a more cautious time or I was a kid and did not really understand what was going on. Or maybe Cable News needs the viewers and people “like” being scared like when you go to a movie. This seems over reported. And is underwhelming by half.

    • Max says:

      Thanks for saying that.

    • Owill Saveus says:

      New York is not new to storms. The potential for flooding in Manhattan especially is way overblown. They evacuated parts of the city for the first time ever. They closed hospitals and moved sick and elderly people. Deaths and injuries can also result from evacuating people. I think it was a political stunt.

  19. R Jones says:

    I just road out 70MPH wind / rain in a tent in Noblesville Indiana on Wednesday Just for a Concert. Why the hype? Be prepared not scared!!! We are turning into a big fat whiny nation.

  20. russb24 says:

    noaa buoys southeast of Cape Lookout report highest sustained winds of 51 knots… a strong (but weakening) tropical storm

    • nclady says:

      Ok so the wind iss 55 sustained at 3 pm. It pased Cape Lookout at 7 am. So the storms main winds were definantly over 80 then. Come check the damage tropical storm winds can’t cause this much.

  21. Forecheck says:

    Agreed this is an over-hyped storm, but keep in mind maximum winds are just that – a maximum – somewhere. It’s just not where the home weather stations are.

    Ike was technically a Cat 2 storm, with a Cat 4 integrated wind field, but no place in Houston had more than Cat 1 winds.

  22. JR says:

    What planet are you on? I have family that hunkered down to the west of the eye and they had 60-70 mph wind, piers gone, local flooding. This may not have been as bad as predicted, but it’s not ‘phony’.

    • RD says:

      These people are idiots. If it was downplayed and it was worse than expected these guys would be first in line pointing their hypocritical fingers.

      • DEEBEE says:

        Do you want to tangle with these guys. They have brains in their entire body. Why even their fingers have a mind of their own to be hypocritical.

  23. whodat1 says:

    Interesting. After reading this article I checked the storm on Storm-Pulse. It shows Irene due west of Cape Hatteras with winds of 85mph.

    Checking weather at Cape Hatteras on Intellecast show wind speeds of 45mph with maximum gusts of 71mph.

  24. Chad says:

    I think someone was desperate to one up Bush, and had a little media help.

  25. abc says:

    Regardless of whether the media hype over the hurricane may involve exaggerations, this blog post is either uninformed or purposely misleading. For someone who seeks to guide public opinion by presenting scientific evidence, either one is unfortunate and potentially dangerous.

  26. Douglas Hoyt says:

    Table of NC wind speeds at http://wp.myweather.net/wp/?pub=gsbu137378&page=search&context=state&loc=NC
    Highest wind speed I noticed was 47 mph.

  27. Steve says:

    WOW! 12 mile per hour winds in Va Beach! Call out the NATIONAL GUARD!!!!

    In DC they are forecasting 1/4 inch of rain today and 1-2 overnight. We could use the rain.

    Steve
    Common Cents
    http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com

    • John says:

      Steve,
      I’m in VA Beach, are you….?
      It’s a HELLUVA lot stronger than 12 mph sustained winds…LOL. 12 mph doesnt uproot trees like it just did 2 houses down.
      Damn you Drudge for posting this BS blog!!

  28. John P. says:

    I remember in 1957 when Hurricane Audrey hit southwest Louisiana; it was the first one I experienced. We lived about 40 miles north of the gulf, but the winds and rising water were unbelievable. The one thing that is burned in my memory is the loud cracking and crushing sound of the wind blowing down large trees (2′ dia. +) around our house. I think there were about 300 fatalities in Cameron and the surrounding communities.

  29. Guest says:

    Having lived along the gulf coast all my life and enduring hurricanes such as Betsy, Andrew, Katrina, etc., I can tell you that the hype surrounding this storm is unbelievable!

  30. Jeff Hagar says:

    When you flood agencies with eco-activists you get this type of sensationalism using the MSM and very highly respective agencies as their platform. Again, eco-activists use this opportunity to promote Climate Change and Global Warming. And again, another dude.
    When is the MSM going to grow up and stop with the activism? this is getting way too predictive. Weather, equals climate change, which means man caused it, which means we have to social engineer our economy away from success and into a level equal to an African tribal village. why? Because is guess they do it better than we do.

  31. MikeTheDenier says:

    Fighting For Mother Earth’s Civil Rights: Al Gore Says Debating With Him On Climate Science is The Moral Equivalent of Being A Bull Connor Racist

    http://www.theblaze.com/stories/fighting-for-mother-earths-civil-rights-al-gore-says-debating-with-him-on-climate-science-is-the-moral-equivalent-of-being-a-bull-connor-racist/

    • Independent says:

      The curious thing is he is emphasizing people having conversations about global warming/climate change/global climate disruption/global weirding, yet Al Gore refuses to actually debate anyone on the subject. By his own words he is a coward who refuses to confront an issue with the “moral equivalence” of segregation and racism.

      Come and debate someone, Al, on the subject, and then you can criticize others for not talking about it. Until then you’re a hypocrite, hysterical alarmist and lying idiot.

      • JERRY says:

        In the great climate discussion few things are conveniently missing:
        (1) global warming and cooling have been here since the beginning of Earth, with no people around
        (2) our mathematical climate models are inadequate – they can not even “predict” known past, so, if there is a warming trend now, we do not know how strong and long it will be (depending of the time scale studied, you can always find cooling and warming trends – there has been warming for the past 10 000 years!)
        (3) we do not have any good quantitative estimate how much human activities influence the climate – in one way or the other
        (4) IF there is a significant global warming – and we do not know well its magnitude – there is no good economical estimate of its effect. Do not forget that there are countries that would benefit from global warming (Canada, Russia, …)
        (5) LAST BUT NOT LEAST, there is no cost/benefit analysis to show how much we would have to do (and what) and how much we would have to spend in an attempt to control the climate, and how much we would actually gain from it. Without such an analysis, all political (and economical) “climate changing actions” are totally insane and idiotic (well, that’s how our politicians work, right?).

        But what can I say, I only have an PhD in atmospheric physics (including climatology in a part) – all those elected street and neighborhood organizers must know better…

        P.S.
        Ask a molecular biologist how much do we know about processes in the human body. I suspects that the climate is a system with a similar level of complexity.

    • George Johnson says:

      Hahahahahaha! That’s the kinda thing they do when they have no facts, nothing to back their argument up. Just sling something like that and make the other side afraid to show up for fear of beinng called a racist. Hahahahhaa! Lost the debate already.

    • questioner says:

      He does know that Bull Connor was a Democrat, right?

      • They don’t know Robert Byrd was a KKK Grand wizard. They don’t know that MLK was a Republican. They don’t know what LBJ said he would give the “N”N words to keep them voting for him. They don’t know what party Lincoln belonged to. They don’t know who stood with black Americans on the civil rights vote. They don’t know lots. That will never stop any of them from instructing you on how dumb YOU are! Algore. Isn’t he that idiot that said the molten center of the earth was 2 million degrees?!?!?!?!?! He doesn’t have even basic knowledge correct, yet is the end all be all authority on everything he speaks about. He is the religious leader of the “Cult of Carbon Dioxide” He is a scam artist making MILLION$$$ off his idiot minions. He is selling carbon credits (air) to redistribute wealth from us, to his pocket. When I am done visiting all 57 states (hmmm, there ARE 57 Islamic states!), I will write more… Bye for now!

    • Buck O'Fama says:

      CERN: ‘Climate models will need to be substantially revised’ thanks to their recent discovery that the sun affects earth’s climate.
      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/08/25/cern_cloud_cosmic_ray_first_results/

      I guess they’re just oil and coal company shills to Al.

      • Bill says:

        Wait a minute…..the sun affects climate? I thought it was the NHL? Clearly what is needed is more government involvement. Specifically, additional regulations over guitar manufacturers’ raw materials and beauvine exhaust. This will create or save jobs and eliminate killer storms that are the result of the failed policies of the Bush Presidency.

  32. Kenwood17 says:

    Weather warning experts – Dam* if they do Dam* if they don’t. Who dam*s them – Anyone critical of them who types or talks against their good intent to save lives. Those people are more devastating to America then any catagory 5 hurricane.

  33. Bill says:

    I’m no fan of the government, and am skeptical of many so-called “experts” as well. But you are the one making a fool of yourself with these posts questioning the legitimacy of Hurricane Irene. Do you have eyes and cable television? Clearly hurricane force winds along the coasts of NC and VA right now. Moron.

    • rich leonhard says:

      historic storm ? why would obama start being right now?

    • ssd says:

      Actually he got it spot on, as they say. I applaud people with the courage to still value truth and not those just out looking to make a parasitic living off terrorizing others for profit.

  34. Travis says:

    New Bern, NC: sustained winds of 46mph, gusts up to 74mph.
    http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KEWN/2011/8/27/DailyHistory.html

  35. DirkH says:

    From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14694087
    “1507: Some bridges, streets and subways are virtually deserted in New York, AP reports, amid stern warnings about the approaching storm. As rain started falling, one resident expressed his disgruntlement. “What the mayor did – shutting down the transportation system – is more dangerous than the storm,” said Daryl Edelman, a comic book writer. “People could be left stranded – especially the elderly,” he told the news agency.”
    “1405: At a news conference Mr Bloomberg said this was a matter of life and death. Staying behind was “dangerous, foolish and illegal.””

    • gorbud says:

      Mr. Grand Jackass Bloomberg has been living in his own bubble far too long. This little political dilettante takes every occasion to lecture, hector and otherwise harass people about their eating, smoking and now their safety. He thinks NYC is his own little experiment in social engineering and making people do what is “good” for them. Wish he would just shut up and go away.

  36. docfjs says:

    Ahh, the chicken little syndrome strikes again Aided and abetted by the 24 hour news channels. I am a Fox News junkie but I tune out when Shepherd Smith starts to get his panties in a bind. If this thing fizzles I fully expect the alarmists to take credit for it as if they have control of mother nature.
    PS Can anyone tell me why the New York subway system has to flood? Can they not block the entry ways and prevent flooding? I know it is a huge system but they have closed it down and it seems logical to seal the tunnels?

    • ppicalino says:

      Most stations have open sidewalk grates above them – this is a primary source of ventilation. It would be impossible to seal all of these. Plus, the subway goes above ground in the outer boroughs and upper Manhattan, so in addition to sealing grates and entrances one would have to seal the tunnels as well. It’s inconceivable. Take it from a New Yorker – heavy rain always causes subway flooding somewhere in the city, and it’s just a fact of life.

  37. Bob Stenning says:

    It’s barely a tropical storm. Zzzzzzz.

    What was all the hype about I wonder? Who benefits?

  38. JuliaB55 says:

    I live in southern coastal NJ, just north of Atlantic City, on the mainland but by the Great Bay. The problem as we see it, regardless of the wind, is that the ground has been saturated for the past 10 days. Not even the few days of sun and (humid) heat dried it out. So, with more rain, there’s sure to be troublesome flooding. And even 55 mph winds can knock down trees (which are plentiful in the Pinelands) that are already sitting in mud. That said, I hate everybody, especially Big Sis and Big Brother. I trust no one and nothing except my own judgment (and not even that all the time).

  39. MikeTheDenier says:

    3 cheers for Goddard… He made Drudge!!!!

    http://www.drudgereport.com/

  40. Travis says:

    Frisco, NC: Winds reaching 60+ at times, gusts close to 90mph.

    http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KNCHATTE2

  41. Mack Hall says:

    If the event turns out to be less than feared, BE GRATEFUL.

  42. It’s Bush’s fault that it … (you fill in the answer)

  43. gr8dismal says:

    Spend a lot of time in NE NC, viewing this storm from NYC- Wunderground PWS in our area down there( Corapeake) has shown at worst heavy rain, low wind, looks thus far like got lucky compared to other storms we’ve ridden out there.

    Bloomberg gets the Scaredy Cat award… a usual, he’s such an old lady.

  44. Friedman's Ghost says:

    My first visit to you blog. Very cool.

    Being in the midwest I can say we do not pay attention until a thunderstorm forecast calls for gusts of 60-70 mph. Of course, east costers (Philly to Boston) considerthemselves the epicenter (pun intended) of the universe. My only hope was it woudl swallow Wall Street and it’s inhabitants.

    C’mon Irene…whoa I swear…at this moment…

  45. Travis says:

    Nags Head, NC: maximum sustained winds: 74mph, current 56mph.

    http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KNCNAGSH4

  46. Frank says:

    These are the same people still beating the same drum that global warming is real even after its been debunked by scientists throughout the world. Think about the hypocrisy of this organization before taking their information seriously.

  47. binthere222 says:

    Wow ! The hurricane is there but it has anemic windstrength.

    Only one thing causes that. LOWER than normal Ocean surface temperatures.

    Sounds like global cooling to me, but no one is reporting that.

    Lots of nerdy little grant grabbers and lefty news tools are reporting the opposite, “climate change” to the warmer is causing this, they say.

  48. Warren says:

    What was it Hillary said, “never let a good disaster to to waste”.
    It appears that the government (NOAA) has been cooking the numbers to make it appear worse then it actually is. Now the news media who have been hyping this hummer are going to have to Cover Their Asses with video of big rains, flooding and paper flying through the air.

  49. NOAA has become so politicized that their data has become not only suspect, but entirely useless.

  50. Dave says:

    For you a-holes bitching about the strength, it’s bad enough here. Carolina is being spared because of low tide, tides coming up later in VB where I am and storm is coming. Already had loss of life and property in the region, you panty-wastes need to get a life.

  51. John says:

    Im pretty sure these comments erase the validity of the original article u are want to be against what the main stream is saying to seem defiant bro

  52. Wil e Shith says:

    It has to look bad so it is one more thing little o can blame for the lack of economic recovery which is really his fault. Just wait, this storm will be added to the Japan Earthquake, and Bush for causing the economic devistation caused by his policys. This will be a good reason to give the unions more money and to extend unemployment for those that have no intention of working. And of course the Goreacle can blame it on Global Warming er, I mean Climate Change.

  53. David says:

    Are you kidding me?We have 35 mph winds already in Hampton Roads.Somebody is not reading the wind measurements correctly.Downplaying a storm this big regardless of it’s strength is what gets people hopping mad about forecasters.One group hypes it up and the other acts like it’s no big deal.I say we fire all forecasters from their jobs and get hourly weather maps on news so we can read for ourselves.

  54. Layla says:

    Well, those 30 mph winds blew down the pier at Atlantic Beach, NC.

    This is not a phony hurricane. I have friends in NC and VA riding it out.

  55. Traitor in Chief says:

    A Hype-O-Cane and a lawn chair thrashing Super Quake all in the same week!
    What next? Locusts?

  56. TC Austin says:

    Testing the goverment sheep dogs and their ability to move the herd? How many people can you move(control) and how fast. Kind of blows for the sheep.
    Unfortunately, the situation is driven more by bureaucrats, fearful of taking responsibility for a possible disaster, now scrambling to cover their tracks and not look like a putz. Our tax money hard at work, feeding the goverment busybodies and bureaucracies, in a never ending cycle to justifying their own existence.

  57. Travis says:

    Nag’s Head max. sustained windspeed now 81mph.

  58. Joe Bastardi says:

    There are winds gusting to near 120 mph. The storm may destroy every boardwalk up the coast. Please, you are doing a disservice to our side of the debate by downplaying this. ITS A 951 MB LAND FALL… 6th strongest on record in NC.

    This is not a fight you should be fighting with these people. Lets not resort to the tactics they have ( warmingistas) by twisting examples. The exposure of some of the ob sites is leading to some of the reports, but other areas are getting hammered in the way this should 951 mb is similar to the pressure of IKE which was ridiculed before hand cause it was downgraded to 2

    I beg of you guys. Make fun of me after if this is not a 5-10 billion dollar storm , but wait till the game is over because we are setting ourselves up for problems if we find the boardwalks destroyed and people without power for a week like I think.

    LETS FIGHT THEM WITH TRUTH on the facts .. Hurricanes are not caused by global warming, but lets fight them on the merits of the issue, not with examples, whether I am right on how this turns out or not!

    • Latitude says:

      Joe, the NHC had this as a cat 4, going right up the middle of Florida last Sunday.
      Freaked the entire state out, first thing Sunday morning.
      At one point, they claimed a Cat 4 into the NE……

      That is over hyping out of ignorance…..
      ….Whether they like it or not, it’s also crying wolf

      You know this…..and you know that has been the biggest problem

      I know you’re going to say, better safe than sorry….
      …and I know you know what I’m going to say to that

    • George Johnson says:

      But you have no “facts” or “truth”. Only alarmist made up data.

      You sound like one of those global warming nuts that sees every storm as being man made and a total disaster. And you sound like you’re living on another planet. Where are you getting your information (besides manmadeglobalwarmingisdeathincarnate.com??

    • TrueNorthist says:

      With all due respect Joe, this isn’t about AGW, or anything in that vein as far as I am concerned. The only ones thinking Irene is due to AGW are the alarmists, and we all know they are being foolish. To me this is about media malpractice and government incompetence. I have not seen such hysterical scaremongering since, well, the last hurricane that turned out to be a dud. But this one took things to a whole new level of madness.

  59. Susan says:

    Nothing more than the mis-use of science (weather reporting) as an opportunity for political gain. obama desperately needed to blow this storm out of proportion to take the press of his luxury vacation as the economy tanks. More excuses for the communist boy president.

  60. tonysolo says:

    I just checked the weather underground site for Nags Head, 0 wind? How is the government and Obama getting away with lieing to us about this fake storm?
    On a seroius note, i suspect that there is a probkem with the Underground network, its kinda hard to fake a hurricaine.

  61. Steve Goddard says:

    Joe do you disagree with the weather underground numbers? I don’t understand what you are saying.

  62. Meteorologist says:

    Out of the local NWS office in Morehead City, NC:
    First, in the northeast part of the eyewall at landfall, and about 30 minutes before your radar map posted above…
    0719 AM HIGH SUST WINDS CEDAR ISLAND 35.00N 76.33W
    08/27/2011 M90 MPH CARTERET NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

    CEDAR ISLAND FERRY TERMINAL REPORTS SUSTAINED WINDS 90
    MPH WITH GUSTS TO 110 MPH.

    Secondly, in the southwest (weakest) part of the eyewall…
    1035 AM HURRICANE ATLANTIC BEACH 34.69N 76.74W
    08/27/2011 CARTERET NC TRAINED SPOTTER

    SUSTAINED WINDS 85 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 101 MPH.

    And further, there are numerous, numerous observations from the Hurricane Hunters showing this storm has a large area of winds greater than hurricane force. Even zooming in on the Wundermap would show about 2-3 times more obsevations, many of which are sustained tropical storm force.

    Please, explore all the available data before making criticisms of the people who are doing an excellent job of analyzing and forecasting this storm, some even risking their lives to do so.

  63. georgeins6 says:

    “O”whatabummer relection generated storm. Is nothing just like him.

  64. George Johnson says:

    This sounds like the media and the weather people, are sort of trying to “give” obama the lawless his “Katrina”. Build it up into this HUGE, dangerous, devastating storm, and then when there’s no damage, they can post these nice photo’s of all the emergency services going in there (and doing nothing) and say “This, THIS is how it should be done folks, obama the lawless saved us from utter devastation once again!! All Hail obama the lawless!!!”
    Judging from the way the media covers for him on a daily basis, and the way they try to build him up (because remember, THEY selected this loser and have to CYA). I don’t see it as anything else. They’re just using the opportunity to build him up and change the direction of his ratings.

  65. Fred says:

    OK. We’ll be sure to send this report to the family of the man who was just killed by that weak-a$$ed flying tree branch.

  66. I am afraid Weather Underground monitoring sites did not account for the global warming effects on wind speeds. They should artifically inflate them to 2x or 3x so to be inline with scientific consensus.

  67. jim a says:

    Better to report the worst and be prepared.

  68. bobby light says:

    Do you guys believe in HAARP manipulating the storm? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKtxWP0haAw&sns=tw

    • ragtag says:

      The super-hype NYC is getting over this ‘rainstorm’ (subways and buses shut down & they have NEVER been shut down, talk of turning off G&E before we even see a raindrop) prompts me to think the gov. has a special nasty surprise in store for the NY/NJ area. “Operation StormSearch” is 24/7 on all radio stations, the goony dictator made a speech about it yesterday….something is definitely up. This amount of attention for the people’s welfare is VERY suspect.

    • Vicky says:

      I think that HARP is definitely doing something for Texas to have the weather that we have been having.
      So why couldn’t they manipulate the hurricane?
      I think it all relates to Obama. He needed to see how long/how hard it would be to empty out the biggest area of the United States.
      And Texas, well he hates Texas.

  69. JB says:

    While this was not a Category 3 storm and certainly a marginalcategory 2 at landfall, it was a hurricane. During the next 24 hours reliable reports of sustained winds in the 70-80 MPH range with gusts up to 90-100 MPH. Some reports are already arriving. See the link below for more details.
    http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=MHX&product=LSR&format=CI&version=1&glossary=0

    PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
    NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
    1042 AM EDT SAT AUG 27 2011

    ..TIME… …EVENT… …CITY LOCATION… …LAT.LON…
    ..DATE… ….MAG…. ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. …SOURCE….
    ..REMARKS..

    1036 AM HURRICANE 1 N DUCK 36.18N 75.76W
    08/27/2011 OUTER BANKS DARE NC EMERGENCY MNGR

    DUCK PIER REPORTING SUSTAINED WINDS 67 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
    84 MPH.

    1035 AM HURRICANE ATLANTIC BEACH 34.69N 76.74W
    08/27/2011 CARTERET NC TRAINED SPOTTER

    SUSTAINED WINDS 85 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 101 MPH.

    0848 AM HURRICANE 1 NW AURORA 35.31N 76.80W
    08/27/2011 BEAUFORT NC EMERGENCY MNGR

    70 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS AND 90 MPH GUSTS AT PCS PHOSPHATE.

    0800 AM HURRICANE CEDAR ISLAND 35.00N 76.33W
    08/27/2011 CARTERET NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

    WIND GUSTS TO 115 MPH AT CEDAR ISLAND FERRY TERMINAL.

  70. cjbomb says:

    Wow- common sense instead of snark- what a concept.

  71. Bob says:

    What kind of an idiot reports this. I’m looking at no less then 7 reports of gusts 70-110 mph. Just because your stations aren’t getting it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. How arrogant can you be. Look at the radar data. Look at the radial and storm relative velocities.

  72. Fred says:

    I am currently in Greenville, NC with the eye wall ~ 30 miles away from my current location. Greenville is ~ 80 mrs from MHC.
    I am unsure of the precise windspeed but this is a significant storm. Driving rain, numerous (large) downed trees, multiple small tornadoes and widespread power outages. The wind is strong enough now for the rain to ‘fall’ perpendicular to the ground at 1-2 inches per hour.
    It is kind of tough to hear someone armchair
    critique a storm when they personally are not
    dealing with it’s effects.
    No one in NC hyped this storm. The hype has come from certain media personalities /outlets who manage to make the storm more about how they are dealing with the storm while standing on a sand dune 10ft from the ocean. Personally, I think this area has been somewhat overlooked as the media has focused on larger metropolitan areas further north.
    Just my 2 cents as I sit here in the dark and scan the radar loops on my phone.

  73. Dean Grubbs says:

    The problem here is the focus on the top wind speed. Obviously the winds are elevated and lack a mechanism to drive the 75+ sustained winds into the ground. We are receiving local reports and pictures of flooding that exceeds Hurricane Isabel. The storm central pressure has only risen 1 mb over land in 3.5 hours. Top wind gust at Cedar Island was 115, so some winds are there but the big story is the strong Cat 3 flooding. So… this is not a Phonycane … it is a different kind of storm which I refer to as a Hybrid Hurricane like Fran, Floyd, Isabel, Ivan, Katrina, and now Irene.

  74. TrueNorthist says:

    I had the feeling Irene was being massively overblown. (Pun not intended) What is truly a hoot is that the media is still freaking out and making wild eyed claims of destruction due any minute now. I don’t think they even know how to admit they were wrong and stop making even bigger fools of themselves. I think Fox News raised the bar for hysterical scaremongering. What a sorry debacle.

    What is truly most sad is that the White House was all set to roll out several hundred billion dollars worth of “hurricane relief” money. I guess they will have to stuff the genie back into the bottle — again — and hope for another calamity to hide their pilfering.

    Congrats on making Drudge!

    • Fred says:

      Now that the widespread destruction and four deaths are already being reported in NC and Virginia, I’ll look forward to YOU admitting you were wrong.

      • TrueNorthist says:

        I stand by my statement. This hurricane is being massively over-hyped.

      • suyts says:

        Fred……..we don’t know the circumstances of all of the deaths, but so far, what I’ve been able to discern…….
        One was from a heart attack …..over exertion in preparation for the storm, and another a surfer. If the surfer poned himself trying to ride the waves……. well, I don’t think that’s what we can consider hurricane destruction more than death by stupidity.

        There were also two children…… again, one has to believe that if two children died, and the parents didn’t……. well, that’s probably more due to neglect than wind and rain.

  75. David says:

    I agree with Joe.Wait until after the storm passes to pass judgement.The nuts that act complacent about these storms are the same people that got others killed in Katrina.Keep downplaying it,the next one that hits hard you nutbrains that act complacent will running around like chickens with your heads cut off.Measurements,by the way,read differently depending where you’re at.

    • ldenton says:

      You got that right, David. Complacency and hurricanes don’t mix too well. I live in Mobile, and have weathered many hurricanes over the years. I’ve lost trees in a Cat 1 – one of which we got 24 inches of rain in 24 hours. So all of you armchair weathermen – come walk in my shoes and then we’ll talk!

  76. Fred says:

    By the by, I do not believe one iota in man made global warming.

  77. david says:

    sounds like another case of you can’t believe anything the government tells you. They must need funding for some abscure agency

  78. Darth Vader says:

    Give me an EQ any time. No warning, no hysteria, no worry. Just Boom — and you change your shorts after it stops shaking. DV in Los Angeles

  79. Bob says:

    Steve, I used to enjoy reading your articles. Not anymore. This is pure lunacy.

  80. Jenny says:

    Love how your own plugin shows 79 mile hour wins… your dumb

  81. Luke says:

    smart way to boost the economy a little bit! emotional buying and empty stores all around the coast… think about it
    Fear and scarcity. We’re in 2011 but it still works like crazy, bizarre forces behind human psychology.
    And then they will speak again as the carriers of good news, nothing happened, we’re really organized and bad ass.

    Anyway that being said I truly hope that everybody get trough this safe.

  82. Ken says:

    I think we’re just talking about what the numbers are showing. That’s it, Joe.

  83. P Gosselin says:

    Congrats Steve – you made Drudge!
    You just reached the 3 million mark – bet you never dreamed 4 million would come so fast! Soon you’ll be right up there with WUWT.

  84. hell_is_like_newark says:

    Joe was just on the Larry Kudlow show re-stating what he said above. I scrolled through a mess of those station (including an off shore buoy). Highest wind I found was 53 mph. The storms that hit up here in March had winds close to 70 mph.

    So will this storm still produce a super storm surge? If it doesn’t, its not going to do a whole lot of damage.

    My purpose is not to criticize the weather gurus.. I am just thrilled that this storm is nowhere near the Cat 4 monster that was originally predicted. This means I will likely have power, water, gas, and undamaged apartment buildings come Monday morning.

  85. Latitude says:

    You know, get a pair…..

    This is no historical storm for the NE…
    “boardwalks destroyed and people without power for a week” You’re putting me on………

    Back up and look at Cat Island and Eleuthera, there’s real honest to God people that live there too.
    They are picking up, cleaning up, looking at half a house, after a real Cat 3 went right over them. People had to actually go out in the middle of the storm, because their house was falling apart. There’s no roads from Miami to Eleuthera, in case no one noticed.

    …and we’re in a panic about some over hyped squall line

  86. P Gosselin says:

    You ought to hear the German media here -“unprecedented global climatic catastrophe of Biblical proportions” kind of reporting. Propaganda is making a great comeback in Germany.

    • Freemon Sandlewould says:

      Sig Heil !!!

      Heil Atmosphere! Heil Trees!!

      If you they are not hard over about this they are hard over about that!

      First militant Hitlerites…..Now militant Greens! Nothing has changed but the person they salute to!

    • DirkH says:

      Oh yeah, it’s really funny.
      “Irene” tobt an der Ostküste – erstes Todesopfer
      27.08.2011, 18:44 2011-08-27 18:44:11
      Zerfetzte Stromleitungen, peitschender Regen, ein brodelndes Meer und Hunderttausende Haushalte ohne Strom: Mit voller Wucht wütet Hurrikan “Irene” an der US-Ostküste, es gibt bereits ein Todesopfer. Mehrere Bundesstaaten riefen den Notstand aus, die Nationalgarde steht für den Katastropheneinsatz bereit.

      I try to bring the tone across.
      “Irene ravages the East coast – first death.
      Electricity lines torn to shreds, whiplash rain, a seething sea and hundreds of thousands of households without electricity. With full vengeance hurricane Irene rages on the East Coast, there is already one death. Several states declared emergency, the National guard is ready for the catastrophe deployment.”
      This from the Süddeutsche, supposed to be a serious newspaper (halfway left-leaning).
      http://www.sueddeutsche.de/panorama/hurrikan-erreicht-die-usa-irene-tobt-an-der-ostkueste-erste-todesopfer-1.1135795

  87. t says:

    Bed wetter, cry baby, candy ass nation……T

  88. melanerpes says:

    Like your Feynman quote. It’s particularly apt right now.

  89. Bob says:

    Looking at new video from Morehead, NC clearly showing wind gusts over 75 mph. You should turn in your degree and stop accepting grant which I help pay for.

  90. I P Standing says:

    callimg a cat one “historic” is dopey

    • ldenton says:

      I guess it depends on where the cat one lands. I believe the last one that made NYC was in 1985. You ever been through a cat one? I have – plenty. We had 24 inches of rain in 24 hours during one. Put up or shut up.

  91. Big Frank says:

    Evidently the administration of our ‘Dear Leader’ and the MSM are running out of bogeymen to scare us with. We have heard it all before and are tired of this phony alarmist BS fed to us ad-nauseam.We were going to run out of oil and natural gas by the mid 90’s, a terrorist attack at any minute, global warming will kill us all, the ocean will have no life by the yr. 200, etc., etc.

  92. Freemon Sandlewould says:

    global warming ……..eeet! global warming!

    run away!

    but pray to my made up god first!

  93. Now they’re at the same 70 odd mph the NHC is reporting, maybe you should wait untill the thing actually gets there before making a fool of yourself with articles like these.

  94. mike says:

    It may indeed be weaker than expected, but it is a hurricane. Hatteras at 10am, sustained at 65 gusts to 87mph

    • Phil Nizialek says:

      If your numbers are mph, and not knots, then they are not indicative of a hurricane. Look, Goddard’s point is simple.The media and meterologists have been overhyping this thing for a week or more, driving everyone into a panic. Simple precautions protect life and propert from a Cat 1 storm. Shutting down the NYC transportation system, and forcing evacuatuions is over-reacting. Things will be back to normal in the affected areas in less then a week. A Cat 1 hurricane is not the apocylypse. Calm down, you guys.

  95. Matt says:

    This weather station is reporting winds in the 70 mph range for at least two and a half hours, including 15 minutes of 80+:
    http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KNCNAGSH4

    Several others in the area are reporting max sustained winds in the 50-60 mph range.
    At this point, you might be able to argue that 85mph is a little high, but it’s certainly BS to say it’s “barely a tropical storm.”

  96. omnologos says:

    I’m Joe’s #1 fan but as I wrote to him on.Twitter : .this was.described as an apocalypse the world over. It ain’t by a long shot.

    • Squidly says:

      I too am a HUGE fan of Joe Bastardi (I really am Joe), but come on Joe, perhaps you need a good vacation. I have been watching this whole episode roll out from start to finish, and this has to be the MOST over hyped thing I have ever seen in my life. I was up working late last night and watching the various news outlets, and even while trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, I had to hold back from hurling on my shoes.

      And to some prior comment, your are wrong, this thing WAS indeed hyped by some outlets as going to be Cat-4 (and even possibly hit Cat-5 status). I have seen it reported in several different places that this was thought to become a Cat-4. I don’t believe I have ever seen so much nonsense bullshit surrounding a weather event in my life.

      And Joe, please remain one of my idols by toning yourself down, use a little common sense and screw your head back on straight. I think you are a brilliant guy, I have agreed with almost everything you have ever said and I appreciate your work and your view as much as anyone, but you are way off base on this one my friend. This is the “boy that cried wolf” in a big major way, and that my friend is just as dangerous if not more so. Once the public loses trust in authority figures, the next “real” hurricane will cause more loss of life as people won’t believe the hype and expose themselves to dangerous situations.

      • Johnboy says:

        Hey Squidly..yer right on. All the good looking weather babes here on thr Left Coast
        were talking about a category 4 by Thursday/Friday. It got us glued to watching their
        big boobs which kept that #4 outta mind. Imagine, a hurricane as big as the state of
        Arizona and it’s cleavage, uh, eye with winds up to 175 mph. Whew!

  97. RobNC says:

    As a North Carolinian who has been through 56 years worth of these storms..you idiots are a disgrace….guess you needed mass destruction and hurting people devastated …you idiots should have been tied to that pier ….. Mother Nature rules fools…

  98. JMWinPR says:

    In a couple of hours the talking heads will be congratulating each other on their heroic efforts to report nothing new for marathon periods of time.
    It is fun to watch a breathless reporterette call our attention to new video showing blowing sand and foam.

  99. Ray in Aiken says:

    Could it be there is a software glitch that is not adding the little triangle (50 knots) to the temperature/wind speed symbol?
    If it was on the symbol that would make the data pretty much agree with NOAA’s data.

  100. eduardo garcia says:

    Hello, I’m reading the days description on the most recent weather underground you have actually posted. It says winds 65 to 80 mph, that’s before the wind gusts.

    Your need to defy the “experts” and the authorities is simply a narcissistic need to feed your ego at the expense of safety. Grow up.

  101. floodguy says:

    Buxton is over land. Besides its well east of the landfall. Look at Hatteras USGS, only 12 miles west of Buxton yet you get a clean windfetch. No, this isn’t the storm that was hyped about, but 33mph 60 miles east of landfall isn’t comparative either. You are a far cry from being knowledgible about hurricanes my friend, and just because Drudge linked you doesn’t mean squat. What what will happen and see it live come Sunday/Monday. Just because the area of damage is narrowed, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I’ve been in the business for 20 years and have been on-site on every major cat 3+ since 1993.

  102. samiam says:

    One would think by the news that this is the end of the world. LOL. Us Gulf Coast residents are laughing at you yanks. Look for Obama to blame his missed put on 17 on Irene. What a joke.

  103. hell_is_like_newark says:

    Joe was back on the air stating Irene cold re-strengthen as the storm heads back over water.

    • Mike Davis says:

      It has to strengthen because of all the warm water there.
      How does a Climatologist say F U? Trust Me!

    • Squidly says:

      While I understand this concept, I also understand that water temps below 70F some degrees will weaken, not strengthen a hurricane. I am also under the impressions that the waters north of NC are below this magic number. I am NOT a meteorologist, and certainly not anywhere near the knowledge of Joe, but I just don’t see this happening. Perhaps I will be proven wrong, but even so, how much could it really strengthen in those conditions so close to the coast? … Sorry Joe, I just don’t see it.

  104. Tom C says:

    Central pressure still suports a cat 3 hurricane but the wind field is so vast that the relative vorticity drops. There is a core of winds the
    northeast that supports 75-85 kt and in between reporting obs. That is evident on enhanced IR. Additionally, core of storm will still pass almost directly
    over Manhatten with limited storm surge and incredible rainfall. We are reminded that more people have died from the floods produced by
    tropical depressions than from winds from a major hurricane. As is so often the case, this type of forum becomes trapped in an either/or fallacy with seeemingly everyone on an emotional vendetta projected towards anyone that they suspect has an agenda. Generally, real time Meteorologists don’t aspire
    to religious delusions, as playing, but are charged with extending assertive public warning systems when lives and property are perceived to be at risk, while atempting the balance of maintaining longer term credibility. They have much more immediate accountability than the climate change
    grant money provacateaurs that populate university, government agencies and media.

  105. Klimt says:

    Wow I have been watching these wind speeds all along the coast. I have found the same thing on other storms as well.. Then I go on the weather channel on TV and watch the drama queens perform. Mayor Bloomberg may have something to say , if he is made to look foolish for closing the subway etc.

  106. Rod Anders says:

    You can’t trust a damn thing government or the MSM tells you !!!

  107. RealTexan says:

    I am a native Houstonian and have ridden out 3 major direct hit storms since Carla. They are nothing to joke about. They are also nothing to get hysterical about. If you live in a zone 1 or 2 mandatory evacuation zone, get out. If you live inland and not in a mobile home or house boat and you are healthy you should be fine. Clogging the roads like the dislocated yankees did in Houston during Rita because of the hysteria from Katrina kept people in the evac zones from getting out.

    Stay inside, stay away from powerlines, be patient, don’t do stupid things and be patient if the power goes out.

    The media tends to overblow things because it generates viewers they would not normally have, like on Satuday morning. Politicians over react because it is safer than being blaming in the next election.

    All that said, I agree that this is not going to be the devestating storm that Ike was in 2008. Ike was a real storm. It had a 20 ft storm surge with some waves reaching 70 feet. Ike had a very defined eyewall, look up the satellite images of it right before it hit land. Where is Irene’s eyewall? I have not seen a well defined one yet. No doubt NC is gettin walloped but compare this to Hugo. Ok, it really does not compare.
    The aftermath of Ike ripped up through the middle of the country knocking out power in Ohio. Even Canada and Iceland were affected.

    My guess is that it will weaken to a TS after it crosses Virginia and its colder water. NC and Virgina will have the most damage and deaths, yes deaths, as I said these things can be dangerous. Worst thing the other areas get will be tons of rain.

    http://www.zazzle.com/realtexan*

    • Phil Nizialek says:

      This fellow is right on. Common sense, people. Even 70mph sustained winds will not cause damage beyond breaking off dead limbs and knocking down a few trees. Of course there will be power outages where lines are above ground, but the utilities have already manned up to get power back quickly. This is aminimal hurricane. it will not be a catastrophe The east coast will be back to normal in a week.

  108. dp says:

    I agree with Joe on this one – gloating when it’s over is harmless no matter how it turns out. Doing so now only to have it turn out bad is risky, and since this article has been drudged there’s no telling what level of influence it will have. If it turns out good in the end this post will still look bad. JMPO.

    • Latitude says:

      The news just showed a picture of a house with a couple of small pieces of siding missing……………….

    • trixlette says:

      You anti-drudge people crack me the hell up. You act as if Matt Drudge makes up stories, and reports each and every one on his own, with his own reporters. All he does is have a simple website that he put LINKS (you do know what a link is, yes?) to on his page. The only thing he is responsible for is putting all the links on pone page, on stories that usually go unreported/under reported, by the lame stream media like BSMBC and their ilk. None of the stories are false, none of the stories are made up, none of the stories are written by Matt Drudge. In fact if any of YOU braniacs had the intelligence, you could make a similar site, and put LINKS up to all the stories YOU find pertinent. But, most of you are too lazy and stupid. Apparently you read Drudge as well, must be for a reason…oh yeah… to bash anyone who tries to report what the lame stream doesn’t, instead of making your own site. Make your own anti-drudge site, instead of whining.

      • dp says:

        If you’re calling me a Drudge hater you’re nuts. I’ve been on Matt’s site daily since day one. I go there because his is one of the best news aggregator sites on the web. But if you’ve never been slashdotted then you won’t understand the import of traffic being driven to your site by a high-volume site. If Drudge directs visitors seeking comfort in their decision to ride out the storm to this “scientists” site, it becomes a big deal if that turns out to be bad advice. In the case of hurricanes, storm surges, and an environment including large old trees that have not seen this kind of wrath in more than a generation, taking on more risk is just that, and some stories help ease people in that direction. That is Joe Bastardi’s concern and mine.

        This site doesn’t have normally have enough traffic to impact much of the population normally, but that changed when the site was drudged. In these circumstances it is now not very unlike shouting “Fire!” in a crowded theater.

        Having nothing to do with this site’s decision to play down the storm, in the news today two men have been killed by falling limbs. A child was killed by a falling tree. Surely more to come because people have decided to stay home or were unable to avoid staying home.

  109. Ryan says:

    Cape Hatteras was reporting 60 mph sustained winds with gusts to 75 mph at 8am. Took me about 10 seconds to find that and that’s one reporting station.

  110. WS says:

    HAARP did its job and prevented major damage…
    Thanks guys!

  111. Here’s a cool time series plot of wind speeds and pressure readings from a buoy in the NE quadrant of the storm, buoy ‘ORIN7’, Oregon Inlet Marina, NC, just south of Nags Head.

    http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot.php?station=orin7&meas=wdpr&uom=E&time_diff=-4&time_label=EDT

    Yep, a strong tropical storm at best, at what appears to be the peak of the storm for this location.

    Here’s the full page:
    http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=orin7

  112. steve says:

    These global warming leftists/ GE employees… will stop at nothing to sell there scam.SO CALS Santa Ana winds have longer sustained wind gusts of 75 plus mph then this media driven fraud. The tornado in Joplin will have 1000x more damage in prpoperty and life then this joke of a late summer storm.But Joplin is in the middle of the country ,”Where those people live ” so it has zero meaning to these sick leftist morons.Congrate BARRY at least you got the economy moving for 2 days on the east coast…..LOSER

    • Squidly says:

      Fargo, North Dakota (look it up Joe), frequently has sustained winds over 50mph (with NO protection, it is flat as can be) and even micro-bursts producing winds up to 120Mph for more than 3min sustained. In the winter it can be even worse, with temperatures below -20F and sustained winds over 60Mph.

      I fear all of this hype because back in the 90’s they used to hype up blizzards a lot in the Dakota’s, and low and behold a real bad blizzard (total white out) occurred one evening, nobody believed the BS coming from the authorities. The result, 19 people died on 19th Avenue N. in Fargo, ND … no more than 300-400yrds north of the NDSU campus, basically almost right in town (between the airport and NDSU campus). All because people got used to the “boy that cried wolf” and ignored everything. An entire family was found dead in their min-van the next morning, right there on a major roadway barely 1/4 mile from Buffalo Wild Wings. For Joe, this is what I fear more than this hurricane. Keep it real!

      • ldenton says:

        Well, Squidly, I live in Mobile, AL, in the heart of the Gulf Coast. I was born and raised in Great Falls, MT. I assume you know where that is. Here’s the difference between the two: we have a subtropical climate with tons of old-growth trees. When it rains in torrents and softens the ground, the trees come crashing down on houses, roads, power lines, etc. They are reporting one 12 year old boy dead from this storm because a tree crashed through the roof of his apt. We also have to deal with intense flooding. During one cat 1 hurricane, we got 24 inches of rain in 24 hours.
        The reason why these things are hyped is because more people will ignore it if it isn’t. Yes, some will ignore it any way. The lesson was learned down here during Camille in Biloxi, MS during the 1960’s. I’m sure you could google it if you aren’t familiar.

      • Squidly, you are clearly a voice of reason. Ldenton’s reasoning, if followed, means that we have to blow the next storm up, no matter the intensity of the storm, so that people will continue to pay attention. And why aren’t people paying attention? Because they have packed up and left their property based on hyped-up pre-reporting of previous storms. I have experienced White-Outs while living in Colorado (Scary! if your not prepared) and I have experienced three hurricanes in one season while living in Florida. There are no comparisons! The point isn’t to compare natural weather phenomenons, the point you are making, which I agree with, is that we rely on news sources to report the readily available scientific data in a responsible way so that we, who may/or may not be affected, may draw conclusions as how to best prepare/or not. Don’t hype it! Just give me the facts as they are assimilated. I have livestock and animals depending on me to make an informed decision. Trees over your house is your choice, but damn, your potentially susceptible to water rot, ice storms, high winds and other “disasters”. Be responsible for your own decisions and don’t hype up the blame like the “forecasters” hyped up the storm. Good to get that off my chest. Now I need to go on to more productive things.

      • Squidly says:

        Ron, you probably said it better than I, but the point is, facts, not hype. You cannot make accurate and rational life bearing descisions based upon hype. There are equally dangerous scenarios with decisions made either way when they are based upon incorrect information. For example, there is a report that a fellow has died of a heart attack while boarding his windows today. Was it really a wise decision to perform that activity? or was he just following hype? .. unfortunately for him, he will not know, but his family and loved ones will, and they may feel differently.

        Point is, making decisions without facts is dangerous in any case.

        Btw, I have lived through a whole lot of bad ass blizzards, I have also lived through a few hurricanes when I lived in Florida, and now that I have been living in Tennessee I have been dodging tornado’s left and right. Mother nature is all around us, make the right decisions and you live, make the wrong ones and you die. And trust me, the “precautionary principal” isn’t lot always a good policy, just ask the two fellows in Florida killed on a golf course by a falling tree. There wasn’t even a hurricane that day!

  113. ejmohr says:

    Steve, this is great. I’ve been watching the same stations and thinking the same thing. Lots of hype about a rapidly weakening storm. The sad thing is every time there are evacuations for a dud of a storm, like this one, you have more people who will not heed the warnings when a truly dangerous storm arrives.

  114. David says:

    it seems that it was intensional,as a picture is worth a thousand words.the people playing in the surf,living their life as they know it.and the weatherman or woman all bundled up with a mic in their hand telling how bad it is or going to be.showmanship.that costs us all big time.they have cut production of oil,gas,nuclear power.results higher prices for everything that one needs.with no job and income how much worse can it get.

  115. BreezyDog says:

    I have a Weather Underground personal weather station. http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KMDSEVER8
    Not by any stretch do I think the wind speed measurements are close to reality. My speed is recorded on a deck in back of my house surrounded by eight 100 foot oak trees. My guess id that 90+% of the stations on weather underground do not have it set up to properly measure wind speed. I would use buoy’s at sea to measure wind speed. Personal weather stations on WU are for hobbyists mainly.

  116. C Farris says:

    The”Chicken Littles” of the world are working overtime. Thanks for exposing them. The only thing this generation has given
    us is a guilt trip. Global warming, Light bulb panic, the extinction of honeybees,etc. Today in the NYT comes an article that children who pack their school lunch sandwich in Ziplock should be made to feel guilty..they are not “bleeding green”. Guilt, guilt guilt! Take your own shopping bag
    to the grocery, don’t drink bottled water, use one ply toilet paper. ODrama is the worst…everything is a crisis! The”historic storm” should have us all quivering in our boots… all the while assuring us government aid should a limb fall. Sure there will be limbs down, docks washed away, and electrical outages as in any tropical storm…but the drama. I am so sick of all the drama. Today half the country is obese… yesterday… half the children are hungry or was it starving although those showing up at the food kitchens …have never missed a meal. Thank you for at least letting us know what we might actually experience with this storm. I hope Irene fizzles out…no one needs the damage a full blown hurricane brings.
    The story of overblown hype is a refreshing gotcha on a rainy day.

  117. trixlette says:

    This is a Democrats version of a hurricane, just a bunch of hot air, so they can needlessly spend more money. When Virginia had that earthquake, they made all that fuss about poor, poor D.C., the quake wasn’t even centered there. They made it sound like the end of the world was coming. I think FEMA and Salvation army together had to open a 12 pack of water. The hype sure did put a boost on the local economies (except for the big bad evil casinos), so I guess this can be called another great success by the obama administration for pumping money into the economy. Also, the Virginia earthquake, that caused about $25 worth of damage in DC, and this hot air rolling in over the coastline will be obama’s next excuses as to why he is such an utter failure… he was running out of natural disasters to blame…I know he is relieved.

  118. rpo says:

    Steven: You should try researching the website you yourself posted as proof winds were no higher than 33 MPH. When I researched on Wunderground, I found winds of 59 MPH sustained gusting to 89 MPH. That most certainly is a hurricane!

  119. steve says:

    All anybody had to do is Google any weather site, other than NOAA OR the WEATHER CHANNEL and you would have seen this FRAUD developing before it even became IRENE. These scumbags will stop at nothing to advance there bought and paid for THEORIES.. Believe it or not I am not as cynical as i sound…Except when Barry and his boys and gals enter the picture, and they have there hands all over this garbage.But again, at least Barry got all the dupes to waste there unemployment checks and food stamps on this 100 year storm.

  120. rpercifield says:

    What this causes is warning fatigue. This fatigue was apparent in the Joplin Tornado, where people were ignoring the sirens until it was too late. The NWS has significantly improved the warning areas for severe storms, however, with many media and government outlets over driving the panic on this storm, some for ratings reasons other for relevancy, this is to be expected. Many people has questioned the measurements of wind speeds in hurricanes used for the severity classification. At some point real measurements and remote measurements will have to be aligned to better depict reality.

    Someone mentioned Catrina’s severity. The damage caused by Catrina to New Orleans was not due so much to winds but flooding. Precipitation is not a factor in the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. When Catrina hit the city it was no where near it’s peak level of Cat 4.

    There is a fine line between adequate warning and over warning. However, it was easily seen that the hyperbole for this storm was over the top. All this has done is show many uninformed individuals that hurricanes are not as dangerous and the media has led them to believe. And this is the true danger from this storm, for it will make people less likely to pay attention to the experts.

    • ldenton says:

      Well, it’s spelled Katrina, to start with.
      I suggest you go to Biloxi and Gulfport, MS if you want to talk about the impact of Katrina. That’s where it landed. New Orleans was flooded because the levee system broke. I live in Mobile, AL. Katrina hit 90 miles west of us. 95% of the houses in our neighborhood lost their roofs.
      The last Cat 1 hurricane to hit NYC was in 1985. Could it possibly be that, since people in that part of the country aren’t used to them and might take their safety for granted,
      they’ve spent so much time on it? Ya think?

  121. Listen to me. It is a major hurrican because I ordered NOAA to say it is. This is my Katrina and I am doing a GREAT job.

  122. Greg says:

    Lotta Faux Newz viewers in this thread parroting exactly what they were told like good little sheep.

  123. hell_is_like_newark says:

    Been checking out the webcams on the Outer Banks (a few are still up):

    Houses on the water front are not being hit by a storm surge. They are still intact.
    Pier at Nags Head is still in one piece and is not flooded
    And this surf cam is still in one piece and broadcasting: http://www.obxsurfinfo.com/

  124. Rick says:

    This storm is turning out to be unimpressive, except for the fact that it will provide photo ops for Obama to look like he knows what he is doing.
    53 people were murdered in a Mexican Casino, and it is getting virtually no coverage. All weather analysis is predictive, so my prediction is that less people will die in this phoney crisis, than in that Mexican Casino! Mexico is in North America, and 11 Million of them are here illegally. The drug war in Mexico is a greater threat to us than this storm.

  125. Branton Burleson says:

    Huh….that’s funny. I live in NC 400 miles from the storm and I have gusts well over 20 mph. This was, in fact, a hurricane when it made landfall. This blog is absurd.

  126. BC says:

    Not so fast people, coastal observations in NC have been steadily reported 65-70 knots for 4 hours.

  127. STORMWHAT says:

    Stupid fake-i-cane kills “one to three” “people” in “North Carolina”. LOL at Alarmist Hurricanist Global Warming nutjobs who definitely killed themselves and did not die by the hands of Hurricane Irene. Everybody play outside this is obviously NOBAMA pulling his SOCIALIST strings to ensure our WHITE SLAVERY.

    God, it was hard to be that narrow minded just now.

  128. Paul H says:

    Hatteras and Buxton come up tie tops for windspeed right now at 74 kmh (46mph).

    http://classic.wunderground.com/US/NC/

  129. hell_is_like_newark says:

    I pulled up some of the NOAA buoys / weather stations of the coast of NC and VA. Haven’t click on a one yet showing near hurricane strength.
    http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=orin7
    http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=dukn7
    http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44014

    The highest one I found was at Harkers Island. Its not even 60 mph

    http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44014

  130. Nct51 says:

    Dude – Are you high? Take a look above ground. It’s a hurricane. Whether it will be as catastrophic as anticipated remains to be seen but this is a pretty damn big storm.

  131. mk says:

    The Weather Underground wind speeds aren’t that high…OK. Of course, since an anemometer on top of an elementary school is not what’s used to determine the wind speed for classification of a tropical cyclone, that doesn’t really mean anything.

  132. steve says:

    Damn. How bad do we need a Patton, in this country right now. They ,”THE LEFTIST”Have made this country into a pathetic version of 1930s France.When you depend on your government to feed you, think for you and pay you to sit on your ass 99 weeks This is what you get a bunch of sheep that can do nothing for themselves and will listen to anyone and do anything” AS LONG AS THERE WILL BE A HAND OUT IN THE END. Hence,you get 2 million americans to FLEE there homes…And there is your 1930s France only its not a POWERFUL German military making them flee.. no it is a bunch of lefty propagandist,dispatching fhe 1million year storm there way.

  133. steve says:

    Maybe this is the kind of 1 BILLION year storm that killed off the DINOSAURS, Ask JOE B. he would know………..

  134. Brian says:

    Good to know people are taking this monster of a storm seriously.

  135. mike says:

    What is it that you would rather have had done? The dropsondes show pressure below 950mb, all models showing a path over NC and toward NYC. Major damage and giant surge in Bahamas. Should all officals have just said, ehh, probably not gonna do much, go about your business, have a nice day. Seriously, what the heck do you want them to do?

    It’s easy for you all to criticize, but you are not in charge of a city of thousands or millions. You’re sitting at your desk like me and being an monday morning quarterback.

    • steve says:

      FREAKIN MAN UP…..Everyone got along just fine Before government funded NOAA and NBC owned THE WEATHER FRAUD CHANNEL came into existence. You should not need some scum bag political hack to tell you what to do or think, Grow a pair and think and do for youself. Nobody should ever order you to FLEE your home unless” YOU” want to flee your home. Stay the @#%$%## out of my life.

      • mike says:

        I agree. I’m not advocating for mandatory evacuations. I am opposing the idea that this storm was somehow “overhyped”. We did not get along fine before NOAA. 10,000 people died in Galveston due to lack of forecast tools that have been developed in the 20th century. I bet those people wish they had some hype before they all drowned. Ditto Audrey, Camille ,1935 Labor Day storm, 1938 Long Is. Express, etc

        If you think the Weather Channel is hyping then use all your liberty and change the freakin channel. There is no hurricane coverage on ESPN or the food network. For all your talk of personal responsibility take some and turn off your TV.

      • Brian says:

        If you decide to stay in your home then there should be no rescue for you if you get stranded.

  136. jonni says:

    Well – what they forgot to tell you is they factored in the “Wind Index”

    Which works just like the Heat Index

    The wind is 33mph — but it — FEELS LIKE 85 mph

    Specially when you are standing outside – in a rainsuit – lookin stupid…

  137. John B. says:

    If you’re going to rail against NOAA, why are you using some much non-NOAA related data? Since when is Wunderground a NOAA institution?

  138. JN says:

    Ah so this isn’t really about hurricane coverage it’s just anti-obama rants disguised as a weather reports. Then linked to Drudge and picked up on conservative blogs for more ranting. I’m no fan of Obama, never voted for him. But sorry, I don’t buy that all the weathermen on TWC, FOX, CNN, MSNBC, etc. are ‘hyping’ this for the benefit of Obama or global warming or whatever. Also I have yet to hear anyone on TV say the storm is weakening “rapidly”. They’re all still predicting it to be a cat 1when it hits NJ/NY.

  139. Rob S. says:

    As the winds that are measured are aloft, wouldn’t it make more sense to show the dropsonde data instead of ground level home weather stations?

  140. mike says:

    By the way, since most of you obviously have no experience covering hurricanes, Hurricane Ike never registered sustained hurricane force winds ay any ASOS site. It caused $30 billion in damage. Highest measured gust? 92mph and HOU. Bottom line, most of you are ignorant about real world tropical cyclone strikes.

    • rpo says:

      THANK YOU.

      Hurricane Irene never recorded sustained winds over 80 MPH in the Bahamas, but was considered a strong category 2 storm at the time.

      • steve says:

        OH my… no political hack ever uses Tragedy for political gain.YOU are that sad little fellow that will follow your ilk into the pits of hell. SO sad you just keep dinking the coolaid. What a MORON.

    • Jeff B says:

      Agree, I’ve ridden out several hurricanes including Rita in Houston a few years ago. If this site and its author ever had any credibility its lost now. The link on Drudge gives this high profile and spreads bad information to people who are potentially in danger from the storm. If I were in the hurricane’s path i would likely stay put, but I’d get my family the heck out.

    • steve says:

      Stop this crap… The Santa Ana WIND driven fires cause more damage every 6 monthes the this crap[. How about Joplin,or is that in the wrong part of the country for you.The point is this whole mess has been overblown on purpose for pure sick political gain, What you have is a late summer wind and rain storm that will have not anywhere near the horrors of the 2 examples above.SO PLEASE JUST GET BACK UNDER THE TABLE AND WAIT FOR THIS 1 TRILLION YEAR STORM TO PASS.

      • rpo says:

        Who is benefiting politically from this? NOBODY. You are the one that is sick if you think politicians want destruction to happen.

      • Chris says:

        Federal aid did go to Joplin, MO, federal aid has been plentiful in AL after their tornado outbreak…and if you think you’re better off without NOAA…you know how many people would have perished if NOAA/NWS did not provide, on average, 15 to 25 minutes of lead time on the tornadoes that hit Joplin and areas of Alabama.

        Educate yourself.

        I’ll gladly “go back under the table”, if you promise to take off your tin foil hat and stop thinking everything is a conspiracy.

      • Brian says:

        Steve is proof that sometimes people have to have their thinking done for them.

      • Steve, you need to be quiet or I will send my goons in to set things straight. Of course I want this storm. It makes the sheeple look to my government for help. And as you know, when I help you I expect your obedience and loyalty without question.

      • ldenton says:

        I just hate to see someone’s ignorance so easily displayed. I’ve lived through the Santa Ana winds in Los Angeles county. I live now in Mobile, AL, and have been through several hurricanes. Being a Californian, you have no concept of what you’re talking about. Why don’t you go outside and ride your tricycle. You wouldn’t last 30 minutes in a hurricane.

    • steve says:

      LOSER…….I am on the golf course right now and just hit a shot into a 35mph wind..Which is stronger than any wind in your 10 TRILLION YEAR storm. Now get pack under the table AND DONT WET YOURSELF before the wood hut you live in falls down….Because of this 25 TRILLION YEAR STORM

    • mike says:

      Yeah, what kind of wussy plays golf. I wonder if he has those checkered pants on

    • Phil Nizialek says:

      Thanks, mikey. i often forget how lacking in real world experience I am about tropical cyclone strikes, having been in New Orleans for Katrina, Rita and Gustav, and in The Woodlands, Texas for Ike. I also appreciate a dialog starting out with the other guy calling me ignorant. It sets just the right tone for productive discussions.

      That being said, I’ll give you that Irene has more than 33mph winds. The point here is the overhyping by the media of a Cat 1 skimming the coast, and then hitting the real population areas as probaly a minimum Cat 1 or even as a TS. These type storms are incovenient, will take shingles off roofs, cause some short lived flooding, and cause tree limbs to disrupt power for a day or two. There won’t be Katrina like flooding, nor will there be an 18 foot strorm surge hitting a heavily developed and populated barrier island. In short, Irene is not cause to go screaming into the night. My guess is the hysteria created by the politicians and media will cause more disruption and damage than the storm.. And next time a storm like Irene was prophesied to be does come up the East Coast, people will be less likely to listen to needed warnings. We saw it in NOLA with Katrina, when people didn’t evacuate because they thought the warnings were BS because otf the evacuation of the city for Ivan a year earlier.

      Oh, and by the way, over $10 billion of the $30 billion in damage from Ike was in the Caribbean, when Ike was a Cat 4. A lot of the rest was in Galveston, a heavily developed barrier island subject to a destructive storm surge. In other words, very different demograhics on very different geography.

      Now, back to working on raising that storm IQ.

      • mike says:

        I guess all those blue tarps in Houston were just there for decoration, Phil. The three weeks without power for thousands was just an attempt to conserve electricity too right? Reliant stadium was closed down because they didn’t feel like playing football anymore. Much of the damage was not done in Galveston, Mr.IQ King, so yes you are ignorant of the facts. Do some research before you take others to task and stop being so much of a douchebag.

      • mike says:

        Also, I searched your name in google and it seems that posting snarky, smarmy, pompous blog posts is a favorite pastime of yours.

    • mike says:

      lol…that was actually a funny response. How can you play golf and worry about responding to me? Sounds like I’m messing with your game more than you are with mine. I wonder if while you’re out blogging on the golf course who is home banging your herpes infected wife?

      • Phil Nizialek says:

        Good. Now we are getting somewhere, as we have established that I am not only ignorant, but a douchebag as well. Where did you learn your debating skills, mikey, in sixth grade? I think I was in 5th or 6th grade the last time i used that word.

        I’ve looked, and can’t locate where in my post i said that there was no damage from Ike in Houston. Please enlighten me. Or, could it be that you set up and knocked down a strawman? I guess that is sound practice when dealing with ignorant douchebags.

        Of course Houstonians lost power, and had roof damage. I was merely clarifying that your $30 billion damge figure from Ike’s Gulf Coast hit was a bit hyperbolic. Come to think of it, that would be consistent with all your posts here. Carry on.

      • steve says:

        First my game is horrible right now. It must be those HURRICAIN force winds i am hitting into. so this is much more enjoyable reading all the leftist crap that the world is about to end.,AND second, my wife is not herpes infected ,however she really is annoying. And last I can always count on the weeeeeee little leftist to give me hours of amusement before or after they play with themselves and then start there pathetic .sick , moronic the world is comming to an end nonsence “LIKE THIS FRAUD HURRICANE” to justify every pathetic, sick moronic thing they do to this country. Now pull up your pants MIKEY ,THE wind storm passed and your hut will survive. JUST SAVE yourself for a rainy day.

  141. Sean Delevan says:

    These weathermen and news media outlets need to be sued for creating chaos. My girlfriend was falling for the hype and I kept telling her – They are full of sh**…, I guarantee it….

    If a civilian was to make some statements that caused people to panic and believe that they were in danger, they would be arrested and charged with inciting a riot or causing possible harm.

    People have just spent their food money on other things because the media wanted to attract viewers.

    It is disgusting.

  142. Kerry says:

    Well that’s even more scary. Trees falling, three dead already in such low winds!

    • Squidly says:

      We also probably had 3 dead today already just in car crashed on highways around Nashville … should we send in the national guard?

      • TrueNorthist says:

        Excellent point Squid. I recall reading somewhere that deaths usually go down in New York and other major centres during some storms due to the fact that folks can’t go out and shoot anyone or run them over with their cars when the weather is really bad. Nevertheless, just what were these people that were hit by falling trees and/or branches doing outside during a cat 1 hurricane!? I would stay indoors even if it were just a TS or TD — unless I had no choice, as may be the case with these unfortunate folks.

  143. mike says:

    Well, all media has an East Coast bias, that’s for sure. It’s the same reason that people tend to know more about the Steelers, Giants, Jets and Pats than the Seahawks or Cardinals. That being said, the Joplin tornado was a short-lived event. If there was a way to forecast specific tornado locations 3 days prior to an event, you can bet the media would be all over it. You can’t compare a 500 mile wide hurricane to a tornado that hits one town.

  144. Gary Martens says:

    I think they’re cooking the books, but the problem with relying on Wunderground weather stations is how many are connected to a computer that still has power, and still have an Internet connection to report?

  145. Bret Rickert says:

    I’m right across from NYC. They have now downgrade the expected winds from 90mph 55-65-mph. It was supposed to start raining at noon it’s three and only a light drizzle. Less than 48 hours ago this was going to barrel in at a cat. 2. Won’t know what the storm surge will be, but the wind predictions are a bust.

    • sean says:

      yes Bret, nobody knows the future. surprised?

      • jukin says:

        AlGore knows that the planet is burning with a FEVAHHHHH!!!

        Yet he will not debate this with anyone in between private (corporate) jet flights of mansions that he owns near the ocean.

        You are known, by Lenin, as a useful idiot. Aith emphasis on the idiot.

  146. John says:

    Just stepped outside my home in Virginia Beach….

    Are you seriously telling me I didn’t just feel sustained hurricane force winds?? They very nearly blew me over

  147. Andy Weiss says:

    This may not be a major hurricane, but any landfalling hurricane with 28.05″ pressure is not nothing. The only landfalling hurricane with a lower pressure in NC was Hazel in 1954. Even Fran in 1996, considered a major hurricane was around 28.20″

    I don’t know why this should be, but up until the last few years, any hurricane with a 28.05″ pressure would be considered at least a 120 mph storm. Both Ike and Irene had that pressure and were considered only 100 mph storms. Maybe that means in the old days, they tended to ovrstate the winds?

    In any event, given the track thru a highly populated area, there are going to be massive power outages and quite a bit of flooding. Probably not all that much sturctual damage aside from trees falling on buidlings. Also slow movement will allow it to weaken as it passes over land and/or cooler water.

    • Airwx says:

      Consider the following… The storm surge at/near NYC will not be a universal event. JFK will be protected by the easterly winds draining Jamaica Bay, while the Port of Newark, Sandy Hook State Park and other east facing areas could be heavily impacted.

      When a storm trades tight high winds for broad lower winds it can still take the same central pressure. Look up data on Wilma versus Hugo and you’ll see what I mean.

      Far too much hype, but not coming from me…I have been warning of the rainfall amounts, uprooted trees and power outages with isolated tornados……and yes, I do this for a living.

  148. dougx says:

    We don’t yet know what is going to happen. You have to consider the totality of the effects of a hurricane, not just measured wind speeds at specific places. What is nothing to 1 nincompoop on a golf course can mean death for someone else. A lot of this is random.

  149. Candy says:

    Where I live the sheep are showing up at the shelters with no food,medicine, clothing, water,bedding – nothing and asking when they will get these things! They want to know where the hot food is and who will be waiting on them! UNBELIEVABLE! There are these poor 3 local women working one of the shelters and the people who have shown up are angry with the workers because the shelter does not have all of the comforts of home and free hot meals. One of the workers was just on the radio begging for food and medicine, especially for the diabetics who did not bother to bring their medicine with them.

  150. Pete says:

    Obama is the Nation’s Katrina.

  151. Jen says:

    Isn’t it rich that Drudge is linking to this article after actively participating in the media frenzy surrounding this storm?

    I, for one, am tired of this smug attitude that Easter Coasters (and I am one) shouldn’t be alarmed by natural phenomena that they aren’t accustomed to or particularly prepared for. If you deal with earthquakes and hurricanes on a regular basis, congratulations–give yourself a sticker. And please remember that it’s not noteworthy if you get half an inch of snow.

    I am hearing reports from people north of the storm who have power outages, flooding and even roofs ripped off. Who, except for self-important scientists, really gives a damn what category storm this is? It has killed people and is damaging property at a time when we already have a lot to worry about. A little empathy would be nice. I don’t pay attention to the MSM – they hype everything. But I do know that people who don’t deal with this stuff regularly are genuinely scared regardless of what the TV says, and I won’t dismiss them as being stupid or “sheep”.

  152. Adam says:

    Steven Goddard… What are the maximum sustained gusts your data is showing? Surely greater then 33mph. Aren’t you just doing the opposite of what you are accusing the media of doing? Exaggerating on the low side?

  153. itsahurricane says:

    Just from the weather map posted above, you can see this is a serious storm with a hurricane force winds of up to 80 mph extending over a 200 mile wide wind field. This is a serious and potentially life-threatening situation; to call it otherwise is misguided and rather foolish. So far NOAA’s predictions seems to be spot on, from the intensity of the storm at landfall to the projected track along the east coast. It’s their job and responsibility to issue these warnings and they should be commended for their response. Calling the Irene a “bust” is little consolation for those who will lose their lives to this storm, or at the least, face significant property damage.

    • Jeff B says:

      Exactly my sentiments, and I think the author of this article badly miscalculated. Jumped the gun and called it “barely a tropical storm” and didn’t realize how wrong he would be and that Drudge would link to it and expose his idiocy to the masses.

  154. DirkH says:

    ” 2031: Some people appear unwilling to leave areas of New York in the line of the storm. City Councilman Michael Nelson, whose Brooklyn district includes Brighton Beach is quoted by the Reuters agency as saying: “My sense is that the majority of the people are staying put,” He said about 50,000 people in his district had been ordered to evacuate.”
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14694087

  155. electroj says:

    You’re getting your first news reports of storm-related deaths. It doesn’t take much of a hurricane to kill people. Did you folks work for FEMA in the second Bush administration?

    “[Update 2:37 p.m.] Four people have died as a result of Hurricane Irene, including a boy killed after a tree crashed in Newport News, Virginia, emergency officials said Saturday. Officer Holly McPherson of the Newport News police department said the child went missing after a tree crashed on an apartment complex. Authorities were waiting for cranes to arrive to lift the tree. Three others died earlier in North Carolina, according to officials.” — http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/27/live-blog-irenes-heavy-rains-strong-winds-lash-n-c-coast/

    I imagine this is all part of some conspiracy too? It must be! It is the only explanation… some weather stations only registered 33mph wind readings!

    I’ll mention it here, as I’m sure someone will point out that one of the fatalities was due to someone having a heart-attack boarding something up– thus their death can be blamed on The Weather Channel, Obama, and Al Gore. Maybe the gold standard would have saved them?

    Why is everyone wearing a tin foil hat these days?
    .

    • Squidly says:

      While I have a lot of sympathy for anyone that is harmed by these events, I will also point out that we have probably had at least 3 people die today here in Nashville from car accidents too. Either is a shame, but neither is an excuse for taking advantage of a situation for gain by over hyping the situation.

  156. Rob says:

    I wish someone would come get rid of all of these phoney downed trees and phoney flooding out of the Hampton Roads, VA area.

  157. sean says:

    I got here from a drudgereport link. I’d like to say that this all starting to border on irresponsibility. By sending the message that the NOAA is just ‘crying wolf’ and its forecasts can’t be trusted or should be taken with a grain of salt some real harm might be done.
    regardless of how much media coverage a storm gets, we should all stress that all we can do is ‘forecast’ or guess what’s gonna happen. the best guesses from 2 days ago warranted taking precautions, especially in areas that are not used to dealing with this type of storm. and…

    its not over yet. remember, it wasn’t the hurricane that caused all the destruction in NO. Can anyone say for sure what the secondary effects of anything will be? better safe than sorry for sure.

    • hstad says:

      Sorry Sean, hate to rain on your preconceived notions, but it was politicians not maintaining the canals and berms that caused most of the damage in NO!

    • hstad says:

      Sorry Sean, you got that wrong! NO largely got damaged due to politicians spending money on something other than maintenance on the canals and berms. But yes better safe than sorry, however, stop the trains in NYC for what? Tell me which hurricane in the past was that ever done? You don’t believe that action wasn’t over the top? Historic hurricane announced before it even happened? You have got to start thinking for yourself, friend.

  158. Stpehen,

    Regardless if a computer system reports incorrect information or if someone reads incorrect information from a system and makes an alert about it. You’re an idiot. The fact of the matter is that these systems are in place to provide information to others to ensure the safety of one another. This has nothing to do with whether or not something is ‘phony’, but whether or not the public is notified of anything incoming to ensure the safety of one another. If they were fake, who FUCKING CARES. What matters the most is that my family is aware of a possible situation that exists, and we’re safe..

  159. Pierro and Miles says:

    this is just hyped up so Oblamer can look like he managed the whole thing and lookie how great he did!

  160. hstad says:

    For you posters beating up on Steve because he was among the few players honest enough to post the facts about Irene, ask yourself this, where are those weather TV reporters hanging on to trees, their parkas flapping in the wind and rain? Not on the Weather Channel! Oops not on any channel! Classic hype to get ratings, but the storm did not cooperate.

    • Jeff B says:

      Except none of the “facts” posted by Steve turned out to be true and he’s potentially influencing people to remain in harm’s way and risk their lives.

      • hstad says:

        Doubt that many people actually read blogs in the hurricane zone, their to busy listening to all the hype! What about the “cry wolf” analogy. Guess you don’t think that might hurt people in future storms?

  161. Whenever an emergency is declared, the government has the authority to forcibly remove anyone in areas deemed evacuation zones .Also by executive order, they have a right to confiscate all arms. I have noted that Pennsylvania has declared an emergency today. Theoretically we could be evacuated, families separated, guns confiscated, food confiscated, and everyone relocated. I do not expect this to happen “today”, but this hysteria that is promoted certainly seems to be leading all of us into that direction.with some “future” emergency. And seeing the governments discretion of “what is an emergency” -does anyone really trust the US government (I don’t care who is in office) with this amount of “power”.

    And as far as Bush’s failure at Katrina, IT HAS NEVER BEEN REPORTED that the USS IWO JIMA was docked in New Orleans after the storm to supply the city with emergency power. Whether or not Bush ‘personally’ investigated the damage (which is a purely political action) is irrelevant. That response of supplying Naval vessels was critical and inspired. Compare this with the gulf oil spill with our current “adolescent’ in office and see the obvious contrast.

    • Brian says:

      If people don’t leave when they should and they get stranded it then causes other people to have to risk their lives to save the people that were to bone headed to leave.

    • davec says:

      “Whenever an emergency is declared, ”

      Especially convenien when there is NO EMERGENCY.

      Its called “conditioning”

  162. somebody from downtown says:

    Stick you headin a toilet and flush it douchebag. Then write a stupid blog to get plenty of hits saying “phony toilets don’t reaaly flush” Try going to NYC on moday after all the damage is done and say this stupid shite again, They will “Trow you a Friggin’ Bea’ in!”

  163. Dallas_Al says:

    Irene is now Trop Storm Irene. Congrats Steven.

  164. Bob Gumbeaux says:

    It is all part of a vast conspiracy. All of the live footage by the media and Weather Channel is done with huge fans that make big waves, salt water spray and blowing sand. They use black magic to make the trees fall on the power lines and haul water from one side of a bay and dump it on the other side to simulate flooding. This hoax is another Al Gore Moment that proves you can’t fix STUPID.

  165. reba thomas says:

    Family in MB SC reported 60+mph winds with all the fix ins, and they were on bottom, weak end of her. They’ve seen at least 6 ‘canes come in there, ANC report this as in top 3. Fair to be suspicious of hype, but don’t discourage people downwind to not prepare…at least for government inability to manage what does occur

  166. omnologos says:

    I think Joe saw what it was, a dangerous hurricane. But we were told to expect Sauron’s evil sister, so no picture of wavy seas will ever do

  167. Derek says:

    This wasn’t about TV ratings, or being “extra-cautious”, this was about getting people to spend money. They knew days ago this thing was going to be a piddle by the time it got to the northeast. Flooding is bad, sure, but it’s not anything that doesn’t get dealt with in any area of the country on an annual basis – hardly the “once in a lifetime storm” that will murder your first born sons and drain your pension if you don’t stock up on generators, fuel, cash, D batteries, and a week’s worth of food as the news media would like you to believe. I’m outside of DC and the flash late-Summer thunderstorms we’ve been having over the past few weeks have been far worse than this rubbish – the winds were a lot stronger and sustained a lot longer than anything that’s going on here now and I’m only 10 miles from the water. They’re reporting the 85mph winds from the planes flying at 10,000 feet through the storm, but on the ground we’re getting less than 30 here.

  168. pharmer says:

    Very Cool, and I passed your article around some more. Also I added screen shots of Kill Devil Hills weather station data and wind GRAPH for the day.
    http://themorningafter.us/irene-winds-not-registering-highat-north-carolina-wind-stations/

  169. Bill says:

    Umm, learn how to read a station model. There was one station with a 50 kt barb in the lower left (Green at 43 F).

  170. Zardoz says:

    I guess they made up the 5 dead people too…

  171. The Hoff! says:

    Irene acted stupidly.

  172. MdBill says:

    As BHO’s State dept war QUEEN “Clinton” stated, NEVER WASTE A CRISES”, or INVENT and or EXPAND the issue to get some FREE TV time to tell all your children to go be save. What a Piled Higher and Deeper community organizer graduate, IDIOT.
    The media just LOVE him, until the nation crashes and china or russia just walk in and take us over, You do-do’s need to think next time and NEVER put this clown in any office again, go join Jimmy, BHO… or go start another war, 2012 ought to be interesting with all the tricks he and his chicago mob invents.
    BHO and Buffett, two of the biggest idiot other than Timmy and Ben that I have ever seen, Buffett trashes his family and has done nothing in his life but play the stock market, the number one billionaire in Mexico, the media, network grue makes Buffett and his tax the rich methodolgies look like a childs thoughts. Hey folks, if all the folks making over 300,000 started paying 20 percent MORE taxes it won’t equal 1 trillion and if you take ALL the millionaires money it won’t cover one years debt, but it will cause all small businesses to close their doors and YOU lose your job and the big business to start failing as well as the beloved stock markets.
    Think folks, if you want more tax dollars DO A FLAT TAX, with everyone paying something even those in the bottom 50 perent that now pay zero, only the botton 10 percent of the population, the poorest, would be exempt.
    God please bring back GWB or ANY ONE else, life was good back then, job wise and wealth wise, GWB had to handle two ressions, one caused by Clintons dot.com bubble,, and 9/11 and Government Budget issues, like a down funded fbi, cia and military, he had Irag and Afganistan, Katrinaas as well as 5 other major storms on his watch, and the other three greatest idiots, Harry, Barney and Nancy in dynsfunical congress.
    Thank God for the TEA Party and a Repub and Independent congressional house, else BHO would have more Czars, illegal laws/actions and more goofy healthcare crapo jamed down our throats “if any of you worked in a hospital like we do you would see what a mess this law is and will be to kill small business and expand our debt”. He BHO gave us 4.5 trillion new debt in 3.5 years and now can run it up to a 17-18 trillion national debt Thanks to Harry and the Dem Senate. You folks that voted for this clown deserve Irene to be sitting in your back yard all day long, maybe she can shakeup your gray matter between your ears.
    As for Irene, who cares, just do what you STATE officials tell you to do, NOT what BHO tells you to do.
    GWB and other presidents in the past NEVER stuck thei noses into STATE business, unless they are asked and we have FEMA as a first point of contact, then the STATE GOVERNOR DOES THE REST AND OR ASK FOR FEDERAL HELP, DUH, THE kATRINA ISSUE WAS AND EXAMPLE OF A STUPID LOUiSANIA DEM GOVERNOR THAT WOULD NOT ASK FOR HELP AND THE PEOPLE PAID THE PRICE.
    Think before You vote in this next election for ALL officials.

  173. vikesfansteve says:

    Tell that to the 3 people so far who have died. You f’n P.O.S.

  174. Geoff says:

    what a Moron, I suppose 33 mile and hour winds took down 2 piers, or the roofs of three of my friends houses. go crawl under a rock

  175. The fact is — hurricane or not — the Democrats and their press have politicized weather, as they do with anything else they can think of: marriage, abortion, energy production, race, gender, earnings — I could go on forever. In their efforts to support their propaganda, they have to have “results” even if they’re false. You can hardly blame people for being skeptical. As for this one, I have no idea what the truth is, living in the southwest, but I’ve been through about 8 hurricanes in my life and I can see that this is not a big one — fortunately.

  176. Anne Royal says:

    I live one hour west of Wilmington, NC. I checked weatherunderground.com which said the winds in my city were 4 mph with gusts of 12 mph. All this while I watched the pine trees in back of the house practically bent over to the ground and shingles next door snapping off. I kept thinking, “If this is 4 mph, I surely don’t want to see 40 mph! Perhaps weatherunderground was having technical difficulties today.

  177. David Von Internetsen says:

    It amuses me that a page with ads talking about the end of the world in 2012 is complaining about “overblown hype”

  178. Barry O says:

    Beware when someone from the Government says……..We are here to help you, TRUST US!
    Would we lie?
    This is just like the Tarp Plan. Just imagine what this would be like if we DIDN’T shut down half of the towns on the EAST COAST!
    This is pure Obamanomics, don’t be fooled. They want to thanslate this charade into VOTES people. Make us forget about the Martha’s Vineyard Vacation.
    How long did it take for the “Annointed One” to move on the Gulf Oil Spill? Weird ain’t it?
    Big Strategic mistake though, this ain’t New Orleans where they where handing out 5k Debit Cards, and letting the folks loot every store they could get their hands on! (And the Evil Bush was in Charge)
    Can you imagine New York with no power, no people, just the zombies looting and pilaging?
    Oh, by the way, anyone seen the “Beer Looter Dude” yet?
    Pass the tylenol!

  179. linearheights says:

    so many retards posting…drudgetards on the loose, blowing in the wind!

  180. Putney Enema says:

    Amazing that some people can make any news story or opinion revolve around their evil arch enemy, President Obama. Really amazing.

    • JOHN says:

      We are not the ones that said, ” Never let a crisis go to waste ” Barry Sorento and his minions did. Wake up this is what it is, a dirtbag and his loons taking advantage of the sad American masses and having them waste there food stamps and unemployment checks on a supposesd hurricaine that is nothing more than a late summer storm. 30MPH WINDS 5 INCHES OF RAIN IN 4 HOURS. Trees down everywhere, flooding all around . ,power off for hours.This is what you have with above ground utilities , dead trees and a little rain and wind.OH. This happened in greenville,sc about a month ago…. where I live. SHIT happens ,nature happens. But the freaks really oversold this thing.

    • I agree. I need my flock to worship me in all my glory. I granted my greatness to you. Appreciate it.

    • Paul Mcgrath says:

      “Amazing that some people can make any news story or opinion revolve around their evil arch enemy, President Bush, the GOP, and the Teabaggers. Really amazing.”

      fixed

  181. Squidly says:

    Anne, perhaps you can try this link: http://irene.windalert.com/

  182. Dan says:

    You are a dumb ass.. your map shows 70 and 80 mph winds. I’ve been watching the wind readings all day and they’ve been over 85 a number of times. You’re a fraud.

  183. Phil says:

    Wait until the storm is completely gone and we get economic damage assessments.

    Will be much much more than mere 33 mph winds can exert.

  184. Mari says:

    The REAL SCIENCE is NOAA; the JUNK SCIENCE is this website and it’s owners!

  185. tom says:

    After reporting on several hurricanes, I can say with experience, that this was barely above tropical storm level if that. As usual, the networks had to hype it to make ratings. Just a strong thunderstorm with a bit more rain than usual. Just wish we had it in Texas.

  186. An Inquirer says:

    Yes, this storm was over hyped. And yes, storms are reported to be stronger in this satellite age as we estimate speeds from satellites and plandes rather than relying on surface measuring instruments.* However, this orginal post was excessive in its minimization of Hurrican Irene.
    _____________________
    * I have not seen reports in any hurriance where surface measuring instruments measured winds as strong as the National Hurricane Center estimates.

  187. Pete says:

    60 mph, gusting to 75 mph, heavy heavy rain. In April and May in Oklahoma we call that Wednesday afternoon.

  188. Mike K says:

    What an ass. And where is this bozo writing from? Come on over to my house here in NC, and I’ll show you 33mph winds – and it’s now ten hours after landfall, and I’m 120 miles inland.

    • suyts says:

      33 mph winds…… are you kidding me? Mike, we can appreciate that you guys are having a bit of a roe with Nature, but, really? Should we send FEMA to your house?

      Look, I hope, as does anyone here, that you guys get through this in one piece. But, its difficult to sympathize with people wanting to make this a bigger thing than what is apparently happening. At the end of the day, if things get bad, all Americans will come to help. This much is known. But the histrionics…….. they are a bit …… over the top. Please note that this is an international blog, in that people from all over the world read this. We wouldn’t want to leave them the impression that most Americans think it’s an emergency when the wind blows a bit, now would we?

      Put your big boy panties on, suck it up. Let us know when you all need some help. We’ll be there.

      Best wishes,

      James

      PS If something really bad is happening, I suggest you quit commenting on blogs and do something for yourself.

  189. ERICA WHITE says:

    THESE ARE THE GUYS CLAIMING GLOBAL WARMING?

    NOW I DO NOT CARE TO DEBATE GLOBAL WARMING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, I ACCEPT IT IS A BAD PRACTICE TO PUT POLLUTES INTO AIR AS A GENERAL NEGATIVE IMPACT, AND WE SHOULD WORK TO REDUCE SUCH POLLUTES REGARDLESS OF WHETHER GLOBAL WARMING IS HAPPENING OR NOT HAPPENING.

    HOWEVER, WHEN GOVERNMENT OVER REACTS TO STORMS IT JUST UNDERMINES ALL CONFIDENCE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

  190. Dr wiggle says:

    I am in Richmond VA and suffered no damage with Floyd, Gaston, Isabelle, or Ernesto. Just this afternoon my whole back fence has been destroyed and 3 huge trees uprooted. Fake storm????? You really need to just shut the heck up moron.

  191. tom s says:

    Um Steve, I am a meteorologist…25yrs now. Current gusts are in the mid and upper 50mph range over southeast VA and northeast NC right now. Peak winds on the outer banks of NC were in the low 70s earlier this afternoon and morning. Hardly the 30s Steven….hardly. You can wipe that egg off your face now as it is quite unsightly. I see you post at Watts page and usually respect your opinions, but you went to the opposite extreme here…are you parodying?

    • Cobra says:

      Prove it. Go look at the wind speed graph from the Cape Lookout station on the National Data Buoy Center. Peak wind speed of 58 kts at station CLKN7 right before the center of circulation passed over and the wind speed dropped to 25 kts.
      Irene is not a hurricane. You people will believe anything you are told and refuse to look at the data.

  192. RogRos says:

    who cares, its just some random dude on the internet opinion, I think main problem is how everyone freaks out about his opinion (even if he thinks its fact, still, its his opinion). A nice response would be to leave nothing and proceed onto the next web page to post similar repetitive and watered down opinions (that probably include the left, right , and/or Obama to blame all) and create the illusion that your opinion does in fact matter, when, in reality you are just blowing hot wind like myself 🙂

  193. Ric H says:

    My family is in Goldsboro, 75+ miles inland to the west of the NC coast. Trees are down in our neighbors’ yards, takes a bit more than 33 mph to do that too Steve.

  194. Duane Smith says:

    I am in southern Delaware. I have been through a lot of Noreasters with 50 mph+ winds and we are having gusts well over that. Trees are down on my property. Irene is not the strongest storm I’ve seen but it is not the weakling this post makes it out to be.

  195. ONTIME says:

    I truly hope they did over estimate this storm, we just do nt need the damage and the grief….

  196. Sam says:

    For years people here in Alabama would bitch and moan about Wall to Wall tornado coverage unless the Tornado was coming up their street. After April 27 and the loss of over 300 lives, maybe they will “quit their bitchin'”.
    I would rather over estimate things a hundred times than under estimate it once………….. I know people become complacent if they are over warned too much, but the responsibility relies on us , and I would rather err on the side of caution.

  197. roadrunner says:

    Another Conspiracy Theorist……Let’s see…Elvis is alive and living in Michigan..Jim Morrison is in Oregon..Oswald was a lone gunman and everything else is Bushes fault……

  198. Jeff B says:

    Cedar Island Ferry Terminal measured sustained 90mph winds this morning at 7:19AM, gusting to 110. Max overland sustained speeds have been around 50-60mph. This info is available from Weather Underground’s Dr Jeff masters (http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1905)

    As Masters and other hurricane experts have explained, most damage from Irene will be due to flooding.

  199. Tom says:

    I just looked at wunderground and accuweather reports for Norfolk, Va and they’re both reporting current windspeed of 39 mph. Gust are reported as 79 mph. That the NOAA definition of a Cat1 hurricane is sustained winds exceeding 74 mph. You can look it up.

  200. ted122 says:

    Trees fall all the time. I had a 2 thousand pound branch from a totally healthy tree break and fall to the ground, missing my car by 12 inches and missed me by just 20 minutes. Weather was dead calm. Just luck that no one was under it. 2 people having a tree land on them? could happen anywhere, any place, any time. Storm or no storm. Just ask a gardener.

    The folks that build their homes on sand, get over it. Don’t feel for them. Only a matter of time, like a tree falling in the woods; it will happen. Lesson learned. No…. lesson learned, they will rebuild on the sand and wonder why nature is so cruel to them. Same logic for the folks who build on rivers that flood. Or people that build their homes below sea level. It is not IF, but when, destruction will occur.

  201. Rocked In Eastern NC says:

    I’ve lived in eastern NC all my life, 44 years. Seen a lot of storms come through. Never been one to buy into the hurricane hype. While this storm doesn’t have the winds you would expect from a major storm, Irene will be a generational-type storm for folks here. The flooding has been epic for this corner of the country.

    • David says:

      Your right, unless were talking Andrew force winds, the flooding is worst. Florida 2004, we were hit by 4 or 5 hurricanes in row. They weren’t as bad as the tropical storm a year later, it rained for 36 hours, 21 inches.

  202. Barney15e says:

    All hurricanes are over-hyped. More so since all the idiots stayed behind in New Orleans.
    However, I’m not sure why Steve trusts a $25 home weather station over a $48 million C-130J. Call up the Hurricane Hunter observations on that WunderMap he posted and you’ll see speeds to 90-100mph. Hurricanes are not measured by the surface winds. They are measured by the maximum sustained winds of the entire storm system. I’ve ridden out a few Hurricanes and there are points inside the storm that are downright calm and sunny. Other times it’s almost dark s night and the rain is coming down in buckets, moving sideways along with all the crap my neighbor left in his back yard. Real science depends on actually knowing what it is you are measuring and whether that measurement is flawed.

  203. tom s says:

    Steve, when are you going to correct your Title? You’ve lost, now fix it!

  204. Tyler says:

    Agree this was blown out of proportion, but I am a meteorologist. This was at most a Cat 1 storm, but radar clearly shows sustained winds at hurricane strength. METAR (weather station) obs are only part of the story. It appears to be nearing Tropical Storm strength now.

  205. Redeye80 says:

    Dude, no time stamps on your reporting stations and then you use a wunderground chart showing 70+ wind indications.

    What color is the sky in your world?

    • You can see the position of the storm in all the graphics.

    • David says:

      The 70’s you seeing are the temperatures. Look at the bars. 1 Bar = 10 mph; 3 1/2 bars = 35 mph; 4 bars = 40 mph. A triangle = 50 mph. Not too many of the latter two. These reporting stations include NOAA stations reporting similar data.

      If you want to see time stamps, click on the station and then click on the station code. You will have a nicely laid out table reporting wind speeds with time stamps.

  206. Lazarus says:

    I hope you are all feeling really proud of this ‘it’s barely a tropical storm’ nonsense;
    Hurricane Irene update: Storm claims its first lives;
    http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0827/Hurricane-Irene-update-Storm-claims-its-first-lives

    I believe the death toll has now risen.

    • Mike Mangan says:

      What kind of sick, twisted “logic” leads to your sorry ass non sequiter? Do you think anyone is happy people have died? Do you think their deaths could have been avoided if Steve hadn’t questioned the wind speeds? Millions of people are hunkered down right now. Do you think there will be fewer traffic fatalities today than normal?

      Oh, why couldn’t it be you under a branch? (Just kidding, of course. Maybe. Sort of.)

    • Mike Davis says:

      WOW Laz:
      You resurrected just to link to the Christian Science Monitor.
      Tree limbs fall of all the time and trees fall over with minor winds depending on other conditions. A heart attack putting up shutters is not because of the storm but poor health. It was probably caused by over hype more than real weather conditions.
      BTW: People die every day due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time or it is just their time! Stuff happens and death is a major part of life as none of us will get out of here without dying!

    • Cars crash into trees even when it is not raining. People have collapsed and died when they are walking from the living room to the kitchen. Let’s not run around trying to inflame guilt over things that happen every day with or without strong winds and rain.

      • Lazarus says:

        It seems it happens more often in a ‘Phoney Hurricane’.

      • So there are sustained hurricane winds, Lazarus, that allows you to call it a hurricane? Or are you just talking jibberish because you want to be a contrarian to global warming “skeptics”?

        Your argument is weak and poorly worded. So I think you are just being a contrarian trying to inflame opinion against a “skeptic” web site. You global warmers never give it a rest even when a disaster happens. On the contrary, you use it to try to further your corrupt “science” of global warming. As one of Obama’s former advisers said: “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste”.

    • Sundance says:

      Do you remember when the global warming nutters were out crowing that the tornadoes in the South were due to global warming while the dead bodies were still warm? The idiots at the NYT are already writing about how this storm is a harbinger of global warming disaster. Are you OK with the use of these dead people to promote global warming?

  207. mark says:

    Weather Underground needs to check the WeatherBug live sites instead of those hourly NOAA stations…I sawy 80mph winds on the outbanks today…above hurricane strength. Get the story correct.

  208. mark says:

    As a fellow meteorologist, I hate when people distort the facts…common Weather Underground….I lost all faith in you for this lame and false story. 33 mph winds don’t kill people! Get your facts correct!

    • suyts says:

      lol, you’re a meteorologist? aahahahahahah And you really typed “weatherbug”?

      BTW, do people die when the wind isn’t blowing 33mph? You need to wait until you see the causation before you can honestly attribute the deaths to the winds.

      One was a surfer.

  209. mark says:

    Death toll is six at the latest report..and climbing.

  210. Alvin says:

    Fron LA Times: At least five people have died — in a car accident, by heart attack and by falling trees — as a result of Hurricane Irene, the slow-moving but powerful swirl of wind and rain that barreled ashore in North Carolina….

    The first three deaths from Hurricane Irene were reported in North Carolina. A man in Nash County, N.C., was reported killed by a falling tree limb outside his home on Saturday, local authorities said. And on Friday, a man installing plywood on the window of his home in Onslow County, N.C., died of a heart attack, said Ernie Seneca of the North Carolina Emergency Management office in Raleigh.

    A third man died in Pitt County when he lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree, officials said.

    In Newport News, Va., an 11-year-old boy was killed when a tree crashed into his apartment building, said Kim Lee, a spokeswoman for the city.

    And in Brunswick County, Va., a tree fell on a car, killing one other person, said Eileen Guertler, a spokeswoman at the Virginia operations center.

    While any time someone dies it is sad and their loved ones are affected, I am disgusted by some of the bed-wetters trying to make political hay from Steve pointing out the falacy of this story. These cannot all be attributed directly to the storm. Katrina has 1,836 deaths with 135 missing. Gustov caused 26, Ike 30, Hugo 86. You really need to put things in perspective.

    • I will take the blame for the heart attack. That person looked directly into a picture of my face in all my glory and passed away. Pity, but you can understand why it happened.

      • Travis says:

        Seriously, we’re belittling people’s deaths now? Why not scoff Katrina and 9/11 then? Almost 3000 died in the terrorist attacks on 9/11. So what? 3200 die every day in car crashes. Obviously, Americans are just a bunch of crying wimps.

        See, I can play too.

  211. Maaaaaaaaaaaaaggggh says:

    There are an awful lot of ignorant idiots posting here, saying things like “how dare you, you insensitive clod! People’s homes are flooded and some people are injured or dead!”. So what? A hurricane is defined by the sustained wind speeds. If it doesn’t reach and sustain those speeds, then it is not a hurricane – regardless of how many trees fall over or homes get flooded. Words have meaning, you twats.

  212. Obama must be up for reelection:

    “Obama takes charge at hurricane command center”

    http://news.yahoo.com/obama-takes-charge-hurricane-command-center-172139005.html

  213. bucknaked2k says:

    I thought the levees failed during Katrina because George Bush and Dick Cheney ordered the CIA to blow them up because they hate black people…..at least that’s what I learned from Spike Lee’s movie.

  214. David says:

    NHC appears to be acknowledging the wind speed discrepanc in their 5:00PM EDT report.

    “THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY RECENT SFMR DATA…BUT BASED ON THE EARLIER SHARP DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE FLIGHT-LEVEL AND SURFACE WINDS…THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS REDUCED TO 70 KT. A SLOW WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AS IRENE MOVES ALONG THE COAST OF THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES DUE TO LAND INTERACTION…COLDER WATERS…DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT…AND INCREASING SOUTHWESTERLY SHEAR. BECAUSE THE LARGE WIND FIELD WILL TAKE TIME TO SPIN DOWN…HOWEVER…IRENE IS STILL EXPECTED TO REACH THE NEW YORK AREA AT OR NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH.
    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…”

  215. Angie says:

    This is a site that likes to mock people in science? You never go to a doctor or listen to a weather report? You got Bud from whole NY state for surgery? This so reminds me of the kids in school mocking the honor students that everyone knew were going to college.

    Just for the record, and anybody could have looked this up — the hurricane of 1938 was estimated to have killed between 682 and 800 people, damaged or destroyed over 57,000 homes, and caused property losses estimated at $306 million — $ 4.77 billion in 2011.

    No, it had no mayor on TV evacuating people, because the weathermen did not predict the hurricane. According to their calculations, the weathermen predicted the hurricane would move eastward out to the Atlantic Ocean. I’d like to think if they had known it was coming they would have done something, but people were pretty much caught by surprise.

    Sept. 21, 1938, was experiencing three factors: the Autumnal Equinox, a full moon, and unusually high tide. These are not unusual occurrences, but combined together that day, they set the stage for the hurricane that would double the damage expected. Sound familiar? It split Long Island in two. Considering Gov. Christie and Gov. Cuomo are saying the same thing, I don’t see how this is political. But then again, logic isn’t this site’s strong suit.

    • That was a category 3 hurricane

    • Latitude says:

      and this is a catagory tropical storm at ground level….
      …the hurricane winds are at flight level….no one lives there

      This reminds me of the morons that promote science and medicine and argue from authority
      …until they hear a diagnosis they don’t like

      All of a sudden then, they want 20 different opinions………………..

    • Angie, one of my scientists at the National Science Foundation has determined that you are mentally retarded. Please report to the nearest Soylant Green center for reprocessing.

      • John says:

        Just out of curiosity, do you think your “EmperorObama” shtick is funny or amusing in any way? I’m hardly a fan of Our Dear Leader (can’t wait to vote Ron Paul into office next November), but SERIOUSLY? Spamming comments here isn’t generating any traffic to your Twitter (you’ve got a whopping ONE follower). You just sound like some sort of retarded bleating alpaca.

        Do us all a favor and quit spamming your juvenile, humorless bullshit. It’s not even clever satire.

  216. TJZ says:

    How embarassing… local, state and national officials duped by the media hysteria.

  217. Wayne Alley says:

    I live in Eastern North Carolina and am just recovering from the hurricane… I don’t know where those numbers are coming from, but the damage in this area was caused by a hurricane, not some wimpy 30-40 mph wind speeds. We’ve had 5 deaths, a lot of severe damage and flooding, and 600,000 without power from this storm. This was a hurricane. North Carolina has hurricanes. Those numbers are lies… I am here where it happened.

  218. Lazarus says:

    Amino Acids in Meteorites says:
    You global warmers never give it a rest even when a disaster happens.

    I have never mentioned GW or even suggested Irene is caused by it – get over yourself. My beef is with this site down playing a serious event that has now lead to several deaths.

    • Latitude says:

      Laz, Steven has questioned the wind speed. Turns out he was right…..
      How is his questioning the wind speed down playing a serious threat?

    • Lazurus,

      No where did I say that you did say Irene is caused by global warming. You have to reread what I said.

      What you are doing is making inflammatory statements trying to make what Steven Goddard said into something he didn’t say. And I said you are doing it because this is a global warming “skeptic” web site. You are a global warming believer. I have seen your comments here several times. They rarely make sense. And today you are not making sense either. You are conflating. You are exaggerating. And you are capitalizing on what is happening in the weather to try to make “skeptics” look bad.

      And you did not answer my question: are there sustained hurricane winds right now? Or do you even know?

      • Wayne Alley says:

        See where it says “Maximum Sustained Winds”
        from the National Hurricane Center/NOAA:

        HURRICANE IRENE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 30A
        NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092011
        700 PM EDT SAT AUG 27 2011
        …IRENE RE-EMERGES OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN…WATER LEVELS RISING
        IN THE VIRGINIA TIDEWATER REGION…

        SUMMARY OF 700 PM EDT…2300 UTC…INFORMATION
        ———————————————-
        LOCATION…36.5N 75.8W
        ABOUT 35 MI…55 KM SE OF NORFOLK VIRGINIA
        ABOUT 315 MI…510 KM SSW OF NEW YORK CITY
        MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…80 MPH…130 KM/H
        PRESENT MOVEMENT…NNE OR 20 DEGREES AT 16 MPH…26 KM/H
        MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…950 MB…28.05 INCHES

      • Lazarus says:

        “No where did I say that you did say Irene is caused by global warming.”

        No you said;
        “You global warmers never give it a rest even when a disaster happens. On the contrary, you use it to try to further your corrupt “science” of global warming.”

        So please tell me what significant point you were making by accusing me of being a ‘global warmer’ and accusing me to furthering (apparently) my ‘ corrupt “science” of global warming’?

        And to answer your question, no I don’t know what the wind speeds are now and neither do you, but hopefully they are diminishing as they are predicted to. This does not take away from the fact that this storm reached hurricane status and has adversely affected a lot of people – it was no Phoney – or are you arguing that it was?

      • I do see this:

        ….HURRICANE-FORCE WIND GUSTS……

        http://www.hurricane.com/hurricane-advisories/

        What you quoted is what has happened up to now, but not currently.

        There is the possibility it could pick up intensity away from land. But at the moment there are not winds happening as you posted it.

      • Lazarus,

        You have reading comprehension issues. It’s not up to me to correct them.

  219. JJ says:

    I’m from NC and not one of these sites is near the core of the storm at the time of landfall. Even a tropical storm heeds warning if it is pushing a surge. I was on Cape Lookout in Nov of ’94 when Gordon (Cat 1) came whithin 40 miles of shore. Not alot of wind, but when they rescued us from the island we waded to the boat in four feet of water. Don’t try to make light of and event such as this. Wrong person, wrong place, wrong time and you’re dead. It’s a serious storm, even when they don’t have hurricane force winds 50 miles from the eye. I hope you enjoyed the attention.

  220. I have just ordered that Irene step it up to a Cat 3 hurricane before it hits NYC. I have pledged support for my number one nanny-state cheerleader, Bloomberg. He deserves a great natural disaster to solidify his power over New Yorkers.

  221. Your Neighbor says:

    The National Data Buoy System has not registered a gust above 60 mph from Jacksonville FL to the (tropical) Storms present position at the Virginia Border in the past 24 hours. Check the Buoys yourself on their website: http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44014
    * Even my regular weather web site shows weather stations and they have consistently shown Tropical Storm numbers for the past 2 days all up and down the coast… both onshore and offshore… none of them have be 74 mph at all. This is a Tropical storm with lots of rain, rain, rain. But hey,,,, 50 mph winds are scary for those not used to it.. and they will down power lines and trees. but it ain’t a hurricane.

    • Thank you Your Neighbor. You put it well, easy to understand.

    • bubbagyro says:

      Weather Channel reported maximal wind gusts at 52 mph at the surface. We got 65 mile gusts last week from a thunderstorm. New England got two Nor’esters already stronger than Irene is. One spawned a microburst last November that snapped four 75 foot pine trees on my property in NH. We get huge beach erosion from the Nor’easters, also—every time the high tide coincides.

      Maybe the “hurricane hunters” (shouldn’t they be called hurricane observers? If they have to hunt, they are probably flying too high!) should go to 15 thousand feet and report 200 mph jetstream data (OOPs, I’m giving them ideas).

      Deaths due to Irene included a heart attack victim who was hyped and frightened to death by the TV “forecasters” who lured him on to his own roof where he collapsed and died and a normal car accident death. Because they scared enough people off the roads, avoiding the usual highway fatalities on a given day, shouldn’t they subtract those?

      TWC reported how bad the storm was, because “Bloomberg had to double the National Guard”. Of course, since they forced people to abandon their (safe) homes under penalty of law, then Bloomberg had to avoid the subsequent looting by flashmobs that he himself, by decree, would have brought about!!!

      Amazing how many sheeple are buying into the hype.

      We had some old folks, one lady who bought SIX 24 packs of one liter water. The poor old biddie probably hurt herself carrying that home. Milk is being bought up by people who don’t even drink milk, I heard on the local radio station.

      A real man made catastrophe!

  222. timtriceim says:

    So you only post data to suit your views yet ignore other data that contradicts your ideals. Even your commenters have told you you’re information is wrong. Typical of trash talkers such as yourself. Pathetic.

  223. David says:

    He’s not choosing weather stations, 98% of the stations are reporting wind speeds below 40 mph and that includes quite a few NOAA ground stations. Steve is saying this should have been downgraded to a tropical storm a long time ago.

    Maybe Irene is unusual like the NHC says but in the future maybe they should factor in ground level wind speeds and not solely depend on flight level data.

    • RichmondHurricane says:

      We have sustained 40mph winds in RICHMOND, VA right now, ad we’ve had them all day (gusts to 60mph)…. over 100 miles away from the center right now.

      • I guess Weather Underground must be lying

      • Jeff B says:

        Yes, I caught it. They measured 85-90 knots at flight level. Based on the known wind-speed gradient they extrapolated down to 10m height and reduced their 85-90 knot measurement to 70 knots. Which is 81 mph.

      • Jeff B says:

        The link says they measured 85-90 knots at flight level. Based on the wind speed gradient of the storm they extrapolated to “surface”, which in meteorological terms means 10m height. They reduced their measurement from 85-90 knots to 70 knots to as their best surface estimate based on the gradient. 70 knots = 81 mph.

      • Latitude says:

        Jeff, 30% higher winds at 80-100 stories
        80 mhp was at flight level

        If it was 80 mhp at 10 meters, it would have been over 100 mph at flight level
        It was less that 60 mph at ground level

        You are saying that NOAA measured a Cat 2 at flight level and reported it as a Cat 1

    • Jeff B says:

      The Saffir-Simpson Scale is based on maximum sustained winds at 10 meter height, not ground level or flight level. Based on the official standard, Irene currently moves as a Cat 1 Hurricane with 82mph sustained winds.

      • Is that over water? Over land?

      • Jeff B says:

        Wherever the maximum occurs, but always at 10m height from an area “with unobstructed exposure”.

      • Latitude says:

        Jeff, I don’t think so.
        If you are saying NOAA measures wind at 10 meters, and it’s a Cat1 and 82 mph.
        NOAA just said winds are 30% higher at 80-100 stories

        10 meters = 82 mph

        30% higher at 80-100 stories = 106 mph
        Which would make Irene a Cat 2

        http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2011/08/28/irene-surface-winds-much-lower-than-at-altitude/#comments

      • Jeff B says:

        No, the Saffir-Simpson Scale defines hurricane categories based on the max sustained one-minute wind speed at 10m unobstructed. It doesn’t matter what the speed is at ground or 80-100 stories high in terms of classification. Its the 10m speed that defines the classification.

      • David says:

        @Jeff B
        That may be so however the NHC -is acknowledging- that there is a “SHARP DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE FLIGHT-LEVEL AND SURFACE WINDS.” This inturn led them to reduce the initial intensity to 70 kt which suggests that perhaps they were relying too much on flight level data to categorize the storm.

      • Latitude says:

        did you read the link…………

      • Jeff B says:

        Yes, I read the link and understand there is a big gradient between ground level winds and winds at 200m height. The important measurement is 10M height and based on the gradient described in the link I’m not surprised unobstructed 10m measurements would be ~30% higher than a ground measurements.

        BTW, 70 knots = 81 mph

      • Latitude says:

        I don’t think Jeff caught it David….
        NOAA said Irene is an unusual situation with flight level winds being a lot different than surface winds…
        80-100 story building can experience winds 30% higher than surface

        70 knots is 80 miles an hour….they did not measure that at the surface, not 10 meters high either

        They measured 80 mph at flight level

        Which would be less than 60 mph at the surface……

      • Latitude says:

        They didn’t say squat about obstructed or unobstructed….stop reading into it

        Read exactly what they said……………….

    • Guess what, dips**t? You are officially the dumbest scientist in the world. The hurricane came onshore – actually, in reality – with winds in excess of 80 mph. So, facts have proved you, WRONG. Dumb, You’re probably also the type that thinks the moon landing was staged? Thankfully, due to Drudge, the entire world knows precisely how uneducated and unqualified you actually are. Perhaps you better get in touch with him ASAP to pull the link. LOL! Go back to working at Dairy Queen.

    • David says:

      I don’t know what NOAA considered flight level in this report. Their aircraft (P-3’s and the Air Force WC130’s) collect data in altitudes ranging between 1,500 and 10,000ft. Extrapolating wind speeds from those altitudes down to 30 ft could be very imprecise.

    • ssd says:

      You are making the mistake of giving anything that has to do with the “government” the benefit of the doubt. When they are wrong every single time, they just can’t get away with the misunderstanding bit. When you incite panic by lying, not exaggerating, lying, about the severity of a storm you are terrorizing. These NHC people should do a bit in Guantanamo bay as far as Im concerned, that would be justice. Science is about reporting the relevant facts not finding a loophole to spin some terror and sales.

      How could a “science” organization completely ignore the data coming in on the ground and report winds at irrelevant elevations? What is the purpose of measuring wind speeds in the atomosphere when the speeds at ground level is what matters? Is that science? And of course how can we argue with their data since we don’t have unlimited tax dollars to send in our own planes to play in storms? To give them any credit whatsoever is irresponsible. What they have done is completely discredit themselves, and just provide further evidence that although we pay ridiculous amounts of taxes we are all on our own when it comes to crisis, real or fabricated, and the”government” is only concerned with consolodating its power and using it for personal gain at our expense.

  224. Tempestas says:

    Try some of the more inland locations. I did notice several stations had the wrong speed. They reported low but if you use the airports the speeds were correct. The story only uses the smaller stations not those at airports… This story is dead wrong.

    • I am using all of the Weather Underground stations in the area.

      • Jeff B says:

        Are you using the maximum value for the entire storm system measured at 10m height from an unobstructed location? That’s the textbook standard for the Saffir-Simpson Scale. I was in Hurricane Rita near Houston and we saw mostly wind speeds like this at ground stations even though it came on shore as a Cat 3.

  225. Your Neighbor says:

    Hurricane Paula Closes
    Florida Schools for October
    By Casey Bennett

    Boca Raton, FL – Florida officials, taking no chances, have closed schools in Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Citrus, and Pinellas County between October 11 and 20 because of Hurricane Paula.Expected to form sometime in October, Paula has just begun its life in Africa as the breeze caused by the flapping of a Monarch butterfly’s wings. NOAA meteorologists have its path going squarely through the Gulf of Mexico and making landfall in Pinellas County early October 19th. Meteorologists predict it will be a Category 3 hurricane when it lands.

    Pinellas County School Board member Charley Reno said, “We are acting to safeguard our children. We believe it is in our children’s best interests to keep them at home when this storm hits.”

    NOAA meteorologist Frances Hunter, with NOAA’s hurricane team, supported the decision to close schools. “The hurricane’s path has it going squarely through Pinellas County on October 19th. I’m glad the decision was made quickly; this way parents have the opportunity to make arrangements in time.”Paula’s track goes squarely through Pinellas County, though NOAA officials insist that it could deviate anywhere from Brazil to Massachusetts, and could still travel east to the Indian Ocean and become a typhoon. In addition, the small breeze could weaken significantly in the next few days. Officials urge preparedness, not panic.

    “Now would be an ideal time to board up your windows and buy large amounts of gasoline,” urged Ivan Rivers, director of emergency services for Hillsborough County. “When it hits, gasoline pumps could go out. So now is the time to fill up your car’s tank.”

    After being told about the hurricane, motorist Bonnie Hendrickson had said, “A HURRICANE? WHEN? OCTOBER! I’m going to book a plane ticket to Alaska immediately! Can’t be too safe.”Pasco County schools remain open through the two-week period, with school board members espousing a potentially risky “wait-and-see” policy.

    This post is not a real scenario – it’s a joke – satire, if you will. Do not get your panties in a wad.

  226. TOM says:

    BRI,BRI ,Seriously Forget about the dude that only flew F-102s and cant say nuclear…even though Barry cant complete a full sentance coherently without his promters.NO ,i just say put him in a locked room with 75 yr old Ron Paul and Paul would walk out of their in 30 seconds without a mark.All i am saying is Barry is a meek, skinny little runt,who couldnt lead a group of 10 year old Pop Warner football players,much less the” Hurricane command center”.DONT get your lefty tail in such a hissy fit.

  227. MichaelEdits says:

    The first map proves conclusively that Farmville is a town in North Carolina. I’m from North Carolina and I never knew that.

  228. Pingback: Hurricane Hype Overblown « 22MOON.COM

  229. Phil says:

    This isn’t 1950. I now have the means to check things out for myself. But facts do not mean anything to true pea brains. Smoke another bowl and go back under mommy’s skirt.

  230. Guess what, dips**t? You are officially the dumbest scientist in the world. The hurricane came onshore – actually, in reality – with winds in excess of 80 mph. So, facts have proved you, WRONG. Dumb, You’re probably also the type that thinks the moon landing was staged? Thankfully, due to Drudge, the entire world knows precisely how uneducated and unqualified you actually are. Perhaps you better get in touch with him ASAP to pull the link. LOL! Go back to working at Dairy Queen.

  231. Do love all the Obama-Administration hating idiots on this thread though. LOL! Since you cannot reconcile the facts being reported now, in reality, perhaps you should go read your Bible. I’m sure there is something in there about the wind speed of Irene that you will believe. Morons. Go read your right-wing, Drudge, wing-bat propaganda. That kind of ignorance is precisely why and how Conservatives have led us down the path of fiscal destruction since 1980. Morons. Uneducated, morons. Go put your head back in the sand, America doesn’t need you.

    • Mary says:

      OH , You communist moron. You mean all those leftist/marxist scumbags that have ruined every institution of higher learning since they stuck there f-ing fangs in are schools in the 60s.Do you mean those American hatinG scumbags, parasites who have tought are children nothing but LEFTIST PROAGANDA,and how to hate this once great country.LOSER, look at almost any city run by a democrat/leftist today they are ALL failed cities/states.,45MILLION ON FOOD STAMPS, REAL UNEMPLOYMENT AT 18PCT .3 million people on 99weeks unemployment .And now Barry has 2million fleeing their homes for what…….This is your DEM PARTY RUNNING 2/3 OF THE GOVERNMENT SINCE 2006. And from 1980-1993,also ran 2/3 , Go to msmbc,cnn,pbs or wherever that crap plays that you spewed. GO AWAY YOU F-ING LOSER AND TAKE YOUR GROUP OF LEFTY SCUMBAGS WITH YOU…

      • suyts says:

        Mary, I couldn’t have said it better. Thank you.

      • Squidly says:

        Whoa, Mary, calm down a little bit … While I completely agree with you, you need to chill just a little bit. I am worried about your blood pressure on this one.

      • RD says:

        Honey the damage to the country was done under Bush. Learn the facts – between two needless unfunded wars and the tax cuts he screwed this country. Quit blaming the liberals and look in the mirror if you can stand the horror it reveals. The country was doing quite all right when Bush took over. WHile when Obama took over it was in a ditch, bitch. I know facts never get in the way of a right wing opinion but you need to learn the facts. Also put the tampon back in.

      • Vicky says:

        Excellent post Mary!

      • Latitude says:

        Honey the damage to the country was done under Bush
        ==============================================
        100% correct…..
        …never should have let the Democrats get a super majority his last two years

  232. Minfxbg says:

    Guess you ass clowns are running with the same buffoons that “predicted” global warming. What’s next, the moon is made of green cheese?

  233. Jimbo Wales says:

    Just wanted to thank you for your accurate depiction of this “hurricane.” I’ve lived in the southeast half my life – this storm is a joke.

    BTW – regarding the 5 dead people, I know I’ve read at least ONE of them DIED WHILE BOARDING UP HIS HOUSE ON FRIDAY OF A HEART ATTACK. Tell me they aren’t grasping at straws. Go ahead. I promise we won’t laugh at you too hard.

  234. Keith says:

    It is amazing how some ignore readings of hurricane force and more and try to claim this wasn’t a hurricane. All you should have to do is look at the low pressure reading to clarify that, it’s only amazing this is that it isn’t a cat 2 or 3 instead of a 1. Very irresponsible for this to be posted.

  235. Mary says:

    What has happened to our country when a natural disaster is being politicized? How sick can we get. People are suffering, children are dying, can we get together as one country supporting our neighbors?

  236. LukeJohn says:

    In the southern Hemisphere, in places like Patagonia, New Zealand, The Cape of Good Hope, they get a few storms of this strength EVERY year. At worst a few larger shop windows get blown out, a few trees get knocked down. No big deal. We also get huge running seas on a frequent basis as cold water swirls up from the antarctic and meets warmer equatorial currents coming down the east coasts.

    Is it because New Yorkers are just big wusses or maybe is it because the government types NEED a crisis to take the focus off their incompetence?

    I strongly suspect the latter.

    Also: The MSM are obviously having the time of their lives, breathlessly drumming up hysteria and actually thinking that they are relevant again, for the first time in years, Got news for them: they’ve blown it again.

  237. Don Dunn says:

    Tell the seven dead people (and probably more to come) and the million folks without power (already) that it’s not a hurricane. And then tell NASA those moon rocks are made of green cheese. FAKE? PHONY? CON? Why do people who know nothing think they are the only ones who know something?

  238. Keith says:

    oh, and that’s 8 dead last report, sure to go way up

    • How many people die in North Carolina on a normal day?

      • Keith says:

        You are an idiot. You continue to claim this wasn’t a hurricane despite many facts to the contrary. Your inability to admit you messed up with this whole theme shows complete arrogance.

      • Mary says:

        REAL,SICK HOW THE LEFT LIKES TO USE BODY COUNTS WHEN THEY TRY TO MAKE A POINT.’ REMEMBER THE DAILY BODY COUNTS FOR THE WARS, BY THE PATHETIC MEDIA 2001-2008 IN 2009 WHEN BARRY ARRIVED THE COUNTS STOPPED .WELL TODAY THE COUNT STARTED AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME THE WHACKED OUT LEFT WANTS YOU TO BELIEVE WE ARE BEING DESTROYED BY A THOUSAND YEAR STORM. SO LET THE COUNT BEGIN .YOU FOLKS ARE PATHETIC. LIBERALISM IS A MENTAL DISORDER.

      • suyts says:

        “…..you messed up with this whole theme shows complete arrogance.”
        =========================================================

        So, its Steve’s fault its not really a hurricane? Do you think those 8 people care if it was a hurricane or a gust of wind or the heart attack? You bring up the dead as if they care! They don’t. And if the families cared about them, they don’t, either.

        Take your imbecilic rants elsewhere….. moron. Or state something meaningful……..I know, that’s probably asking too much.

      • bubbagyro says:

        How many car deaths were avoided by people scared off the roads that would have statistically occurred? Shouldn’t we subtract them?

        I believe we have a net about 30 lives saved by “Hurricane” Irene.

    • Keith says:
      August 28, 2011 at 1:49 am

      oh, and that’s 8 dead last report, sure to go way up

      Way up…………. Thanks for telling us the sky is falling.

  239. sooth sayer says:

    It’s Bush’s fault.

  240. frostycold says:

    Sorry, but stevengoddard. your an idiot. Maybe he should have to tell the familes of the dead that there loved didn’t survive. Infact, all of you who treat this as a joke should be ashamed of yourselves.

    • I didn’t realize that hurricanes were categorized by trees falling or people having heart attacks.

    • Ryan Maue says:

      your = you are or you’re

    • suyts says:

      Frosty, you are are twit. The last I saw, was 3 dead. A surfer and two children. If the other 5 are indicative of the first 3…….well that’s what happened.

      A surfer…… a surfer!!!! If some moron wants to go play in an area he knows is dangerous and pones himself, well, he gets a Darwin award.

      The two children are heartbreaking, but then, one has to ask…..wtf were the parents doing? 50-80mph winds? Are you kidding me? That’s a gust where I live.

      You want to feign outrage because people call a breeze a breeze? Whatever. Go get a life, and try to do something meaningful with it.

    • Squidly says:

      And what do you tell the family of the guy that died of a heart attack while boarding up his windows, especially when they find tomorrow that it was unnecessary to do so?

      • I think people in New York are sitting tight, though their mayor has said today they are breaking the law in doing so, because they see the storm is not as bad as originally billed. Too bad the guy boarding up the windows didn’t have the same advantage.

        I’m still concerned what will happen in Long Island with it being hit head on.

  241. jukin says:

    Your historic hurricane winds have increased from 80 MPH to 55 MPH.

  242. Dan says:

    Get a life @$$hole – If you were where I am right now, you’d have a different perspective! The Internet has provided a platform for every idiot like yourself to spew nonsense, and I blame Drudge for contributing to your ignorance………

    • suyts says:

      lol, that’s funny……. things are so bad where you are, you have the time to make asinine comments on a blog…….. I’m feeling for you, but I just can’t seem to reach you.

      Hey, do me a favor and comment when things are really bad.

  243. Mary says:

    If you were responsible for millions of people’s lives would you ignore the worst case scenario warnings and tell everyone to stay home? That’s crazy.

    • Squidly says:

      Is this the infamous “precautionary principal” ?

      I wonder how the family of that fellow that just died of a heart attack while boarding up his windows feels. Especially once they find that he was doing something unnecessary in the name of the “precautionary principal”. I’m sure that will make a difference to them.

    • Katrina was a Cat 5 in the Gulf. This storm has never reached anywhere near that. For people to not listen when they were told Katrina was a Cat 5 and stay in the New Orleans and coastal Mississippi area was worse than dense. But this storm is not as strong as that.

      It would be nice if America slowed down and started to carefully think about things. When did this headlong rush into listening to “authority” take over the mainstream in America?!

  244. Jeff B says:

    @Latitude

    They measured 85-90 knots at flight level. They reduced that value to 70 knots to account for the gradient between flight level and surface level. 70 knots = 81 mph

    My posts keep getting lost, hope this one goes through.

    • Jeff B says:

      Its the 10m value they are after, which can’t be measured directly by the WC-130J Hurricane Hunter. So they take a flight-level measurement and extrapolate to 10m height based on known gradients.

      The WC-130J flies through the storm at altitudes as low as 150m. The measurement taken was 85-90 knots at 4PM at flight level (assuming around 150m height). Knowing the approximate gradient between that level and surface level, they can reduce the ~90 knots by extrapolation to about 70 knots at 10 m height. Hope that makes sense.

      • Latitude says:

        “So they take a flight-level measurement and extrapolate to 10m height based on known gradients.”

        and they obviously screwed it up

        Of course they had to guess at ground level winds…and didn’t figure friction

        85-90 knots at 4pm at flight level
        30% increase in ground level winds at 80-100 stories

        equals ~60 knots at ground level

        Think Jeff…..if it’s 85-90 knots at ground level with a 30% increase in wind speed at around 1000ft……
        …then that would have had to have been over 115 knots at flight level

    • Jeff B says:

      Thats cool Latitude. We can’t know exact details such as what altitude the WC-130J flew for the measurement or what the gradient is between flight level and 10m level.

      90 knots at flight level is 104 mph so that would make Irene a strong Cat 2 at that level. At ground level its obviously lower. I trust that the Air Force pilots that collect data and the NOAA data crunchers know what they’re doing.

      I’ve definitely learned some new things from our debate, so cheers to that.

  245. John B. says:

    Everyone in here is a freakin’ nutjob. Listen to yourselves, this isn’t a civil discourse with facts and attributions, but a group of screaming clowns shoved into a soundproof phone booth.

  246. Problem with this hurricane is it was politicized, just like everything from this administration. The old “don’t let a good crisis go to waste” of these a$$clowns from the “Chicago way” makes everything they say immediately suspect. And when the facts fall down like they have on this storm relative to the mega-cyclone paranoia that’s been preached for the past week can only blow up on them.

    This storm is no different or worse than countless storms that have hit the U.S. in the past decade that got barely a footnote in the press. People died in those other Cat 1 storms, property damage occurred on the same scale as we’re seeing along the Atlantic seaboard right now. But just because the hit Houston, Tampa, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Mobile, Biloxi and other population centers besides NYC doesn’t make them or the loss of life any less consequential.

    But, under this administration, who’s top priority is re-election, we’ve learned to be very skeptical of the information they disseminate because we have been conditioned by experience to know they have more political intentions in mind than actually helping people. They saw this as an opportunity to shift the attention of the new media from the horrible economy and the Middle East blowing up on us as it becomes an Islamic caliphate from Africa to Asia to a rather inconsequential storm that is more of an inconvenience than a threat to humanity and civilization as we know it along the east coast. I don’t mean to sound uncaring about those who have suffered loss of life or property from Irene, it sucks for them and all they care about. But it doesn’t warrant the nonstop coverage and national broadcast of human tragedy any more than any other natural disaster that has befallen their fellow countrymen in recent years; it wasn’t that exemplary of suffering.

    My television is off and my news consumption beyond this moment is done; it worked, Obama, I’m ignoring the news, just like you wanted me to. But I remember. And will remember come 2012 how your political machine bastardized something as innocuous as the weather.

  247. David says:

    Home isurance deductible for hurricane damage is $5-15K, deductible for a storm with alot of rain 500 bucks.

    • Roland Blunt says:

      That is an interesting point. Deductibles typically range from 1 to 5 percent of a home’s insured value. If a home has $200,000 of coverage and a hurricane deductible of 5 percent, a policyholder must pay for the first $10,000 of the claim. Some policies kick in 24 hours before a hurricane is declared and until 24 hours after it is lifted. If it is down graded to a tropical storm, insurance companies would be on the hook for a bigger payout. I wonder how much and to whom the insurance companies give more campaign contributions to.

  248. Keith says:

    It’s still amazing that anyone claiming to know what they are doing used Weather Underground sites to claim this.

    • David says:

      There are thousands of these weather monitor sites in Irenes path and they are amazingly consistent between them. They also include among them NOAA sites that are reporting similar wind speeds. James River outside of Petersburg VA is one of them, South Mills NC is another. South Mills (MAR509) NOAA site which was right in the path had a maximum 50 mph.

    • Jerry says:

      What’s amazing about it?

  249. Hurricane Irene: Joe Bastardi interviewed on the Dennis Miller Radio Show, 8/25/11

    A 4 to 8 foot storm surge is expected in New York. And that is bad.

    For those who say Irene is from “global warming there has been far worse storms in the past. A 20 foot storm surge has hit New York before. And there has been 100 MPH winds in New York. A 50 foot storm surge (supposedly) hit Long Island in 1938.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwpW8JNrRdw

  250. TIM says:

    Right wing Mary…. are you married…… What a woman..Barry wouldnt last 15 seconds with you in a locked room. We need more straight talkers like You. When you give facts the PARASITES SCURY. The whole rant above is correct, only you forgot to mention the clinton years that the dems love so much were run by a 2/3 republican congress..GREAT JOB , YOU RANT GIRL…..

  251. Jim says:

    Tell my dead chickens and destroyed truck it wasn’t a storm I took a goddard this morning. I’m regular, I normally take an Obama

  252. Mike K says:

    Simply another example of our government creating a situation whereby they are able to con the ignorant into believing they are being “Taken care of.” The sad thing is that “Giveme-Giveme” crowd are either too stupid to understand what’s taking place… or just don’t care.

  253. Thanks to Drudge, and thanks to you all! This was quite an entertaining evening. Dang, I couldn’t leave this page. Great Stuff, I will definitely be back on the next Hyped-up Storm of a lifetime.

    • suyts says:

      lol, Keith apparently there’s some discrepancy. And I’m sure it’ll be addressed soon, but look at the map you presented. Notice anything off? How about the 115mph….and just a few mile away, the same wind is 76mph. Hmm, that’s entirely inconsistent with the rest of the map.

  254. Greg says:

    Seriously?! You had to put that 2012 idiocy in the middle of the article?

  255. John Coleman, co-founder of The Weather Channel (long since moved on, and it shows in how The Weather Channel is now run), from today with some perspective on Hurricane Irene:

    “When Irene began to weaken yesterday as the media, the hurricane center, FEMA and state and local governments all along the east coast were hyping the storm as major hurricane event, I tweeted, “I forecast Kartrina. Irene is no Katrina.” Then I tweeted, “When the Director of FEMA told people to ignore the category of the storm and prepare for the worst, that was stupid. Thousands of scientists have worked to develop the forecasting skill and system to classify hurricanes and give meaningful guidance based on that system, and a high government official dismisses it.” And then I tweeted ” After scrapping the coast line from Virginia to Long Island, Irene will be a minimum hurricane or even a tropical storm by the time in reaches New York City.” Then I turned off CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC and told our viewers in San Diego how I felt. The news Producers were upset; I was ruining their crisis coverage. The News Director cheered and said right on, Coleman. I am now watching movies and playing poker and ignoring the silliness as an average hurricane makes landfall in North Carolina and Virgina. I feel so much better.”

    http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/08/22/hurricane-irene-2011/#comment-730132

  256. Travis says:

    The crazies sure came out in force today.

  257. Karl Stalin says:

    hehehehe….america can’r t even get a storm right without making it a political issue….

  258. Mike says:

    Obama needs a major storm to divert attention from his antics. Vacations are very stressful.

  259. No worries….Doofus-in Chief will walk on the water , stop the rain and calm the waves. See? He’ll save the day.

  260. vikesfansteve says:

    Tell the families of the 4 people who died so far this storm was nothing.

    • Why would anyone do that? Who was the one that said it was nothing?

      On a different but related topic……

      What should we tell the families of the people who will die in drunk driving accidents tonight?

    • gorbud says:

      What do we tell the families of people that overexerted themselves, and died, boarding up their homes for this storm? Oh what about the individuals who died because of stress induced by over-hyped broadcasts of doom and gloom? So many families to apologize to so little time.

  261. bucknaked2k says:

    65,000,000 people in the storm’s path = 65,000,000 potential viewers. 😉

  262. Leon Brozyna says:

    Oh great … now the NHC is hedging it’s bets … from the 11PM discussion:

    HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS ARE LOCATED OVER A RELATIVELY SMALL AREA ROUGHLY 125 MILES…205 KM … TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER.

    Which means that the worst of the storm has kept out to sea … and that the people on the eastern end of Long Island, Connecticut, and Rhode Island will get what no one else has yet experienced from this storm. Hope those people get the word, after hearing how the storm’s been hyped so far, they may let their guard down.

    • Phil says:

      Oh heck.. it’s nothing but a 33 mph thingie. Pay no attention to satellite images of it. In fact, go outside and taunt it. Bake a cake and light some candles and dare it to blow it out.

      After all, it’s just a mere 33 mph dud.

  263. ipotus says:

    This may explain the discrepancy….. from the NHC / NOAA website
    HURRICANE IRENE DISCUSSION NUMBER 31
    NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092011
    1100 PM EDT SAT AUG 27 2011

    http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/260900.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 BUILDINGS COULD EXPERIENCE
    WINDS SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN THE SURFACE WINDS. 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. “

  264. holyR says:

    I can only pretend i care for a while, then i get bored and need to move on to other moral high ground.

  265. John B. says:

    To summarize the original argument, am I to understand that none of what is represented in the following graphic occurred in the real space-time continuum we recently occupied? More propoganda? How deep does the rabbit hole of denial go?

    Referring to the comedy bit about clowns as offensively-perjorative can only mean that there is some actual truth to it.

    • John B. says:

      I guess this site is an alternate reality where hyperlinks from official agencies won’t post in-line as graphics.

      http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/031343.shtml?swath?large#contents

      • I guess 45 MPH winds are hurricane force http://irene.windalert.com/

      • John B. says:

        Oh, I see what’s going on here. You want to begin an argument using statements about facts from the past, but then you want to complete the argument using statements about facts discerned in the present. Sneaky, you little rocket surgeon. Probably one of the best ways to rat yourself out.

        I’m not familiar with this google maps mashup of selected (not that term) wind data that some twelve year old whipped up in the basement.

      • suyts says:

        Steve, go easy on them, they’re in a fragile state!

        They think you’re taking their storm away from them.

    • John B. says:

      Bravo to the author of the post that got all of this started. You accomplished what you set out to for the day. An audience! Yeah! Gold star for you, we’ll put your work on the fridge this week. What’s the encore going to be?

      • suyts says:

        lol, you should be proud John, I think this is a record for Steve for the most comments on one thread! In fact, he’s gone to #2 at wordpress!

        John, I’ve asked this earlier, but I didn’t get a satisfactory response. Maybe you can help.

        Why is it so important for you that this be classified as a hurricane?

      • suyts says:
        August 28, 2011 at 5:50 am

        Why is it so important for you that this be classified as a hurricane?

        Interesting question.

    • suyts says:

      So, everyone being a freakin nutjob shouldn’t be deemed as pejorative?

      But, speaking of reality, do you believe someone here denies the existence of this storm? Because I’ve read the post and comments, and I think that assertion exists only in your mind……. you should seek help. But then, I’m not sure you can properly interpret what I’m typing so this is likely going to cause you to invent yet another belief.

  266. bubba says:

    Only an idiot thinks weather underground is accurate. Same kind of moron that references history on wikipedia. The Internet has created some real retards.

  267. This is a hurricane as Lady Gaga is an artist. OK? Can’t you just accept that everything now is less than except the over abundance of lame stream media BS and the oppressive state with it’s proclamations and decrees? — http://911essentials.com

    “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” ~ H. L. Mencken

    • bubbagyro says:

      Fanny, you and Mencken state it well.

      Steve, thanks for bringing this to the fore. It is not an empty exercise. You have pointed out how easily the public can be distracted from the real issues by an endless series of falsified data by “scientists” and politicians with a vested interest in securing funds, donations, taxes, and reelections, and shoring up their egos and self acclaim.

      I think the “consensus” here is well on your side.

  268. Mike Sloan says:

    Folks this is a complete “TV news report sham.” Did you perhaps see Jaraldo’s live report this PM from the streets of NYC? His hair was barely moving and the assistants had to wet him down with spritizers.

    I grew up directly on the gulf coast. My dad used to take us kids to a small hill on the east side of Biloxi whenever there was an approaching strong storm. We had very heavy raincoats. Run to the top (about 20 ft.) open the coat and “voila” you’er flying (about 40 ft.). We used to do that for hrs. Now..all the news programs use the word “MANDANTORY” for a storm that you can’t even fly in. Simply, there’s no such thing as that horrible word !!!! This is a free country and that word “mandantory” is nothing more than a fabrication by the faux news in attempts make up for their lack of reporting capibility. It’s the CHICK-A-FESTATION of our children and if we don’t obect to this charade, this country is done.

  269. shooby says:

    What an empty exercise. This blog is nothing but overweening basement dwellers shoring up their own egos and self-acclaim.

    Someone above said that the internet has created some real retards.

    Nothing could be more accurate.

  270. Sundance says:

    I’m watching live on cable Adam Caskey is reporting winds in Ocean City 27 MPH with maximum gusts at 57MPH.

  271. jayburd says:

    “You-all” need to come up here to Alaska where we have REAL weather on a daily basis!

  272. Andre says:

    I was a first responder and thoroughly trained in Hurricane damage assessment and disaster management by FEMA. I have been involved in many Washington D.C. metro area hurricanes over the past 25 years. This is by far the weakest hurricane I have ever seen that was considered a serious threat. I don’t get it. There was never any reason I could see for calling this the 50 year hurricane. The poster is correct, I was monitoring the wind speeds all along the east coast for the past 48 hours, the wind speeds even next to the non-existent eye never exceeded 50-60 mph and was 10-35 MPH over 95+ percent of the nearby area. I’ve been in touch with my contacts at ARC and a few of them are in agreement, it makes no sense. The “tropical storm” portion of this storm extends no more than 60 miles from the center, the rest only qualifies as a “tropical depression”. This is based on the real data that anyone can find on the internet. I don’t care what NOAA or NHC says if it does not have a basis in fact.

  273. Perry says:

    Over the night of 14th December 1287 A.D. there was a bit of a kerfuffle in the sky over the North Sea. We have on the contemporary reports as assembled & detailed in Wikipedia. A dike broke during the storm, killing approximately 50,000 to 80,000 people in the fifth largest flood in recorded history. Puts the New Orleans disaster into perspective doesn’t it?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Lucia%27s_flood

    However, geographical features were somewhat altered & based upon those changes, could that Great Storm have been a Catagory 5 & even more importantly, could it have been caused by a CO2 level of around 200 ppm?

    http://www.villagenet.co.uk/history/1287-storms.html

    As for Old Winchlesea, the slate was wiped clean.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchelsea#Old_Winchelsea

    I wonder how the News Channels would handle a re-run of that Great Storm? Reporters standing on a beach? I don’t think so!

  274. betty says:

    I am in Hanover, PA, we are currently sustaining winds around 35-50 mph…..and if you have a map, check to see how far off the freaking shore we are….so you wanted to see winds about 35 here they are

  275. Arbanas says:

    I live in New Jersey, and over a 2-3 hour period Saturday evening when the TWC was saying we had 17 mph winds, it was perfectly still outside. Literally, you could strike a match and it wouldn’t flicker. We have some wind now, but it will be interesting to see what it will be like Sunday when things are supposed to peak. Friday evening TWC said it was all supposed to be over by daylight Sunday, 24 hours later they said the peak here will be Sunday noon. They can’t find their ass with both hands.

    • ssd says:

      I live in NJ as well, there have been several storms worse than this in the last few weeks. If it hadn’t been for all the hype I would not have even noticed anything other than some light rain, and breeziness overnight. Unless of course I had visited the supermarket or the homecenter where it was pandomonium which brings us to the source of the crisis. 8 oclock sunday morning and everyone’s out walking their dogs and not a hint of any damage to anything.

  276. Daler says:

    I’m in mid of it n yea it feels like 60

  277. R. Call says:

    Gloria hit the north east in 1985 as a catagory 2. I don’t know where this storm of the century stuff is coming from. That was only 26 years ago. There’s still an upside down house in the woods where I grew up from the hurricane of 1938 which was 78 years ago. The news reporters and government officals are sloppy with the facts.

    • gorbud says:

      Never let facts get in the way of a good story. That is the credo of the press. Government has other reasons for disregarding the facts. Cable News just wants to sell soap and the government wants to test the limits of its’ ability to deceive people. Your “safety” seems to be the the new “red scare.” TSA, FEMA, and the rest want unquestioned compliance every time they yell SAFETY! Are you trained yet??

  278. ManintheBoat says:

    FauxNEWS ticker reporting the following:
    Sustained Winds 75mph
    Max WindGusts 75+

    I’m guessing max wind gusts are 76MPH 🙂

  279. sharon says:

    Far, far too much hype for a tropical like storm. The city of Hampton, Virginia called it’s citizens and issued a marial law saying no one was allowed on it’s streets from 11pm to 6am and if you were, you would be arrested. Wake up America–this was a test………….

    • OH MY GOD, this video is the funniest thing in a long time!!!

    • Squidly says:

      ROFLMAO .. pissing your pants funny!!!

    • Well…I had to come back to the blog today to see how things were going. Y’all should go public with this thing…Oh wait…you are public. This has been great! The MSM continues to show why there are less and less people watching their left leaning crapola. This is a great example of how “credible” their reporting is… “loss for words” well I guess. This should be all over the Internet by tomorrow. And Y’alls Emperor Obama character is hilarious…as are many of you! Thanks again for the laughs! But then again wherever there are lefties…there is fun!

  280. ARA says:

    At least nine people are dead. At least two million homes are without power, more than one million in Virginia alnone. You mistook your own internal attitude for science. If anyone died or was injured because they listened to you rather than to the experts who actually knew what they were talking about, you should be sued within an inch of your life. The shame is yours.

    • Take your medication, please

    • ssd says:

      How many people do you think die on the east coast of the US every day? You think its more than nine? This article was dead on.

    • gorbud says:

      Any windstorm over 45 mph would cause electric outages. On average I would guess over 100 people a day die on the East Coast just from old age and sudden acute causes. Traffic accidents take many others. Get a grip ARA. Living in the real world entails some risk. Oh yeah people telling the truth should be sued to within an inch of their life. Great position — very 21st Century. Go back to your storm cellar, eat your pre- fab food and wallow in your anxiety.

    • suyts says:

      ARA are you kidding? Did Steve say tropical storms aren’t dangerous? Do you expect zero deaths during a day without hurricanes or storms? Do you expect power lines to stay up always? Tell your utility company to quit saving on line maintenance and replace those old poles.

      And lastly, was there anything posted by Steve that said the surfer should go out and surf? Or that trees shouldn’t be trimmed away from places your children sleep? And you think someone should sue because they don’t realize they are the captain of their own ship? One of the deaths is a man that suffered a heart attack boarding up his windows? Do you advocate suing the experts? It is becoming more and more clear that the boarding was unnecessary.

      Do you think the dead care if this was a tropical storm vs a hurricane? How is it relevant? And now I’ll ask you, as I have a few others here,

      Why is it important to you that this storm be categorized as a hurricane?

  281. Vicky says:

    Irene will be Obamas excuse for not having his plan for financial recovery and an excuse for another stimulus.

  282. fred bohm says:

    Must be one of those Republican “scientists”

  283. Steve McFadden says:

    Irene is a terrible really bad hurricane like obama is a capable leader of the United States. Total bs the media hyping up storm desperate to show obama can actually have leadership skills in managing the massive damage control that will be needed in the next 2 to 3 months as the storm pounds and destroys the east coast. (Oh that was the Godzilla movie….sorry.)

  284. ssd says:

    It is nice to see there are actually some sites where you can get some truth. If it weren’t for morons hanging warnings on my door and if I hadn’t been on the internet, if someone had told me a “historic” hurricane went through last night, I would have laughed in their face. These people who live inside their televison and believe it is reality are beyond help I believe, because they like it there, they get told what to do and what to feel. Everything the “government” does is a scam. The fact they would lie about a storm just shows how completely desperate, and delusional they are. It is nice to see people who still have the courage to value truth still exist. This whole country is collapsing under the weight of its own ignorance and I couldn’t be happier about that.

  285. TAJ says:

    Enough already. This “hurricane” is ruining my TV programming!

  286. ssd says:

    Seeing some of the comments here it’s almost unbelievable that these people are for real. I guess that’s until you go outside and meet them. The “govt” doesn’t have to pay people to troll the internet anymore, they have television and newscasts to train “people” to do that for them. All these fox news scholars who throw rainman tantrums every time there hear something that contradicts their corporate platform training, reality be damned.

  287. ssd says:

    Funny, I guess they don’t like what is happening here cause they just dropped this story of Drudge. Your 15 minutes have appeared to have expired. Walk on part in the war is better than a lead role in a cage, cheers.

  288. Arbanas says:

    Now at 1015am, in Bergen County the air is completely still, and for the moment, no rain. I agree with ssd’s response to my first post, so far it’s been a thunderstorm with some wind, and nothing more.

  289. Arbanas says:

    This is something… TWC says wind 9 mph for my area, accuweather says 44 mph on it’s hourly forecast. It’s 9 mph, a nice breeze. How could they possibly differ by such a degree?

  290. Long Live Irene says:

    Mr. Goddard – Congratulations, it would appear from many of the comments above that your post successfully disturbed many sweet dreams of catastrophe.

  291. david7134 says:

    I believe the author has presented a satisfactory rebuttal to the absolute bull that is in the media. There may be a bit of understatement on his part but consider the massive amount of overstatement by the president and media. Obama is trying to be heroic and a leader, he does not have either quality in his makeup.

    In Louisiana, we have not had a rain since May. Texas is even worse. Is this in the news? No, because it is not effecting the elite on the East coast. We are praying for a hurricane, send some of it over here.

  292. djspartacuzz says:

    We got BAMBOOZLED by the Irene hype!! Now there is no doubt everything we are told is a lie!! They made that stupid storm BELCHED FROM THE BOWELS OF H.A.A.R.P!! It’s crystal clear that THE FOOLS IN POWER THAT BE! Wanted to scare the crap out of everyone on the Eastern seaboard so they would spend money. On an economy that is DEAD MAN WALKING!! Obama wanted to look like a hero and New York Mayor BOOBBERG made himself look like a schizophrenic lunatic!! Like Jesus said the devil is the great deceiver!

  293. Jack says:

    For those of you that are upset at this article. It wasn’t said that it wasn’t a STORM. Just that technically, supported with facts, that it was not a HURRICANE. It did not have winds in the 90’s as reported by the media. I live in Illinois and we always have storms that produce 33mph winds even without a tornado. Yes, trees can be knocked down and kill people which is very unfortunate. Happens here too. When are you people going to learn that the news media is a business. In order to get people to watch them they will say almost anything. They compete to be the most sensational. You complain about this article but HE did not make money off of people’s unfortunate happenings.

  294. As a regular weatherunderground.com used out here in Palm Springs CA, I can confirm viewing many ground based Atlantic Coast weather station readouts on Sunday August 28. The wind speeds of high quality reporting stations were in the 10-35mph range. None I checked had 60-80mph readings. The wind direction indicators followed the swirling cloud cover. We have no explanation of the discrepancy between ground based stations and the NOAA reports from TV News. To use weatherunderground, go to the site. Enter any US city and state. When the city page comes up, scroll to the bottom for a list of weather stations. You can see local variations in wind speed direction etc. Or click on wundermap for a google maps overlay showing stations as icons having wind direction and wind speed in flag format 3 stripes = 30mph wind speed.

  295. Tom (a real meteorologist) says:

    First off, it took me about 8 seconds to find winds that were above 33 mph along the NC coast during landfall. In fact, every coastal station I looked at had winds exceeding 33 mph. Cape Hatteras (KHSE), for example, had sustained winds of 59 mph with gusts as high as 87 mph. Curious how those sites are conveniently left off your graphic. I wonder if you massaged the output to show what you wanted.

    Second, the category of the hurricane is determined by the maximum sustained winds anywhere in the storm, as it clearly states in every bulletin issued by the NHC. So just because hurricane force winds don’t happen to occur at an observing site doesn’t mean it isn’t a hurricane. It is agreed that very few observations showed the kind of strength the NHC was talking about, but many up and down the eastern seaboard showed winds exceeding 33 mph. So either your data are wrong, you are a liar, or you are ignorant beyond description.

    But, hey, don’t worry about these facts. You managed to get Drudge to post a link to your nonsense blog post and have received your 15 minutes of fame. Congratulations. BTW: how much does it cost to get Drudge to post a link to your site anyway?

    • omnologos says:

      I do hope every future hurricane does what Irene did, and no more.

    • You found a 59 MPH station. Find a 73 MPH station and an 85 MPH station now to prove your point.

      You are an arrogant ass, and that doesn’t do much to support your point of view.

      • Tom (a real meteorologist) says:

        My point was that the winds were higher than 33 mph (much higher) which must have been the point of your post since it was the title. Your sensationalist claim that winds were only 33 mph was flat out wrong. BTW: I support my point of view with data, not name calling.

      • Tom (a real meteorologist) says:

        Even though the timestamp has been cropped off the image in your post, it is probably around 6am local time. At that time, winds at Hatteras were already blowing 54G74, not a hurricane of course, but a good deal over 33 mph. Winds at Hatteras had been exceeding 33 mph for 5 hours by that time. These data were available to anyone who wanted to look:

        http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mesowest/getobext.php?wfo=&sid=KHSE&num=168&raw=0&dbn=m

        So, in retrospect (and now in possession of all of the facts) wouldn’t you say that this post was at least misleading?

    • Latitude says:

      rotfl….never let it be said that “real meteorologists” are the brightest bulbs in the box

      Tom the real meteorologist, the jet stream runs over 150 mph and no one lives there either….

      thank you for playing…..your 15 minutes was all anyone could stand

      • Tom (a real meteorologist) says:

        What does the fact that people don’t live in the jet stream have to do with actual surface observations showing winds much higher than what was claimed in the post?

      • Tom (a real meteorologist) says:

        I said that 59 mph is higher than 33 mph. Is 59 higher than 33?

      • Latitude says:

        Tom (a real meteorologist) says:
        Second, the category of the hurricane is determined by the maximum sustained winds anywhere in the storm, as it clearly states in every bulletin issued by the NHC. So just because hurricane force winds don’t happen to occur at an observing site doesn’t mean it isn’t a hurricane.
        ======================================================
        Sorta like Big Foot, sasquatch. and Yeti…….

  296. omnologos says:

    Next time we need our fingers examined, all we’ll have to do is point Tom (a real meteorologist) to the Moon

  297. omnologos says:

    In retrospect (and now in possession of all of the facts) , Tom “how much does it cost to get Drudge to post a link to your site anyway” (a real meteorologist) is as bad as a commenter as they get

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