Hurricane Irene

[#1]

Upgraded to Major

[#2]

Looks serious.  It's the first major storm so far this year and we're nearly halfway through the hurricane season. (1st June-30thNov.)
Currently it's early to tell but it could hit land at the weekend in the US and it looks like the Carolinas are the likely place. Spaghetti plots will be available later and will give some idea of direction.
Irene
I shall be out in the US in a few weeks so we could have an interesting time

[#3]

Panic stations there, N Carolina, Virginia and New Jersey all declared a state of emergency already...before anything happened yet.
Shame for them following the massive earthquake where ten bricks fell down

[#4]

Better to be prepared.  Don't know if you've been in a hurricane but it's a little scary.  The spaghetti models are all very similar and Irene seems to be heading up the East Coast.
Hurricane Latest

[#5]

Emergencies have now been declared in 6 US State.
Emergency
Latest spaghetti models show an interesting trend:
Latest

[#6]

Heard Irene went through an eyewall replacement which indicates Irene should be weakening.

[#7]

Hmm,
Was in Florida when Wilma hit in 2005 (it made landfall on my Birthday!)  Was most disappointed as Disney closed most of the parks for the entire day (opened up Epcot later on though) and the weather was only just about as bad as that which hit the UK the following Monday on my return to work.
I guess it's just their "compensation culture" that causes them to be more paranoid than practical about events like this!

[#8]

Wilma was a category 5 hurricane with winds up to 175 mph.  Don't think we get them in the UK
Guess it might have lessened a bit when it got to you.
One reason for closing things down is the unpredictability of the hurricane which can change direction and speed with little warning. 

[#9]

I slept through the Michael Fish hurricane in London.

[#10]

Quote from: artmo

Wilma was a category 5 hurricane with winds up to 175 mph.  Don't think we get them in the UK

Shouldn't we be grateful for that rather than ?

[#11]

Oh, OK then
I've been in a number of hurricanes some of category 4 and one I think that reached 5.  Very scary.  There's nothing you can do but hope and pray they will pass quickly.
I am out on the East coast again in a few weeks and we still have a way to go to the end of the official hurricane season.

[#12]

Quote from: artmo

Wilma was a category 5 hurricane with winds up to 175 mph.  Don't think we get them in the UK

We were at the north end of the storm when it made landfall which made it a slightly safer place to be.
All the same - it didn't seem that bad - although the pictures from South Florida were a little frightening - and didn't really need them to close the parks.

[#13]

What happens when you extend spaghetti trails

Edit: it's a joke

[#14]

Emergency evacuations have been called in some of the Eastern States.  Some of the evacuations have been made mandatory.
Irene

[#15]

I think they have been watching too many disaster movies!