Earthquakes and now a Hurricane

[DMC3165]

My family and I are contemplating getting off the island (long island) when this storm hits this weekend. We'll wait to see how the storm develops but we haven't had a direct hit here since Gloria in 86. That was a cat 1 and it made a mess. So if its bad she'll load up her car and i'll load up the D and we'll get out of here Friday night. My question is where to go? Thinking about western PA or Ohio. Any suggestions? The biggest problem I have is a 200 pound Mastiff. But i'll figure something out with her. Maybe she can watch my car while we're in a hotel... LOL!

[Rich W]

A friend of mine has a Summer place out on the island as well, but his wife and kids
have already made the trip back to the Midwest, in advance of this huge storm.

The bigger issue that most people forget (even the weather men and women on TWC)
is that this storm is at Cat 3 now and likely reach Cat 4 before it diminishes back to a
Cat 1, before it impacts the NJ, NY and Boston areas. All the stored energy that is in
the ocean from Cat 4 levels will be unleashed once it hits Jersey Shores and beyond.

Winds can die down much, much faster than wave activity and if Hurricane Irene just
brushes the SC and NC coast, there will be plenty of storm surge when it gets to LI.

I hope Rob Grady and staff get everything tied down by Friday night or Saturday.

As for making it off the island and inland to somewhere safe, I would recommend to at
least get West of the Poconos to get out of the path of this storm.

Later,
Rich W.

[DMC3165]

My father in law lives out near altoona PA. We might make a B-line for Indiana county out that way. As of this morning all the local news agencies say LI is going to get a direct hit from Irene. We're not sticking around for it.