HPC Warns of Potential for Massive Disruptions to Society and Commerce With Hurricane Irene

Posted on August 25, 2011

The chance of Hurricane Irene impacting the cities in the Northeast U.S. is growing more likely and the warnings from weather organizations are growing more ominous. The new extended forecast from the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC) warns that Hurricane Irene is expected to strongly affect the east coast from NC into New England this weekend. The latest forecast cone from the National Hurricane Center (pictured above) predicts that Hurricane Irene will traverse or come very close to major population centers along the U.S. east coast.

The HPC warns in its forecast that Hurricane Irene grazing Delmarva and New Jersey could be extremely destructive and cause "massive disruptions to society and commerce."

THE LATEST NUMERICAL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO ADJUST WESTWARD AS HAS THE LAST SEVERAL NHC TRACK FORECASTS WHICH NOW HAVE EYE OF IRENE COMING THRU THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER BANKS LATE SATURDAY BEFORE GRAZING THE DELMARVA AND NEW JERSEY THEN MOVING INTO THE NORTHEAST ON SUNDAY. THIS POTENTIALLY COULD BE EXTREMELY DESTRUCTIVE WITH MASSIVE DISRUPTIONS TO SOCIETY AND COMMERCE ALONG ITS ENTIRE TRACK WITH VERY HIGH WINDS/STORM SURGE/OCEAN OVERWASH/BEACH EROSION/SOUND AND BAY SIDE COASTAL FLOODING AND EXTREME TIDE POTENTIAL. WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINS IN THE 6-10 INCH RANGE WILL BE COMMON WITH GREATLY INCREASED INLAND FLOOD POTENTIAL. REFER TO THE NHC FOR THE LATEST FORECAST OF IRENE ALONG WITH LOCAL NWS WARNINGS/STATEMENTS AND ADVISORIES FROM NC INTO NEW ENGLAND.
Hurricane Irene is expected to still be a hurricane when it reaches the mid-Atlantic region. The storm surge piling water into the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River would be one of the biggest concerns and could be very destructive. This has happened before - such as when the 1933 hurricane sent a huge tidal surge up the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River.



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