Irene Could Be “Once-In-50-Year” Hurricane For Northeast

POW!

There is potential for the worst hurricane impacts in 50 years along the northern part of the Atlantic Seaboard as Irene plows northward.

The impacts on lives, property, commerce and travel will be serious.

While Irene is not forecast to track as far west, nor as fast, as Hazel did in 1954, it will ride up along the mid-Atlantic coast in such a way as to inflict major damage in many coastal and some inland communities. In today’s dollars, Hazel was a multi-billion-dollar storm and reached Category 4 at peak intensity.

While Irene is expected to weaken Saturday into Sunday after encountering cooler waters in northern latitudes, that will not happen fast enough to prevent serious problems from wind, rain and ocean water.