iCyclone Chase: IRENE

[phil882]

could they be speeding up I-95 to long island to catch a very rare double header ???

lol they won't make it in this rain... I'm pretty sure they are satisfied with the most potent landfall.

[Uncle Bobby]

Within about a half hour of the last post, Josh said they had no way to leave at that time, due to flooding. I seriously doubt if conditions improved enough within the next hour or two for them to start driving north.

[saltysenior]

Within about a half hour of the last post, Josh said they had no way to leave at that time, due to flooding. I seriously doubt if conditions improved enough within the next hour or two for them to start driving north.

it's a 10 hr drive....when does Irene hit L.I.............A lot to ask,BUT w/ youth and cash any thing is possible...he's going there anyhow ?

[downeastnc]

it's a 10 hr drive....when does Irene hit L.I.............A lot to ask,BUT w/ youth and cash any thing is possible...he's going there anyhow ?

They cant get out for several reasons.....one is the entire area is under curfew and they mean it when they say stay off the roads, also even if there wasnt a curfew they wouldnt be able to get out do to the fact that all roads leading out of the area they are in are under water. At least if he got back to his room he can have a day to recharge the water might let him out of there by midday tomorrow.

[eyewall]

Too bad they were not at the cedar island ferry terminal which recorded a 115 mph gust.

[blueheronNC]

Too bad they were not at the cedar island ferry terminal which recorded a 115 mph gust.

Yeah, to get to that you have to drive across many miles of marsh where the road is literally just a foot or two above sea level. I almost got stranded once on Cedar Island when I went out there to film some 40-50 knot winds from a November noreaster-type system that was passing 150 miles offshore. It's one of the most prone-to-flooding places in NC, and once you're cut off, your goose is cooked.

[eyewall]

Yeah, to get to that you have to drive across many miles of marsh where the road is literally just a foot or two above sea level. I almost got stranded once on Cedar Island when I went out there to film some 40-50 knot winds from a November noreaster-type system that was passing 150 miles offshore. It's one of the most prone-to-flooding places in NC, and once you're cut off, your goose is cooked.

Oh I bet it has to be the most exposed location short of being in the ocean itself.

[HurricaneJosh]

It's kind of crazy and crack-addict like, but we're going for the double-whammy with Irene-- charging up the East Coast to beat it to Long Island.

This morning we slowly made our way through flooded roads and downed trees, then slept all day in or blackened hotel in Morehead City. Irene's backside pounded the area all afternoon with heavy rain, and I'd occasionally wake up to the sound of our third-floor window shaking.

Six hours of sleep a cup of coffee later, we're wide-awake and ready for Round 2! We just navigated out of Carteret County--  which is blacked out, under curfew, and swarming with cops. (Thank God we didn't get pulled over.) 

It'll be another all-night drive, but we're cool with it.  We have no idea how the I95 is going to be, or whether we'll have trouble getting on the Island in the morning. My mother lives in Manhattan and my partner on this chase, Keith, is an Island resident, so that should help us get past any checkpoints.

I've never done a "double-dip" chase before, so I'm tickled by the novelty of it. Irene's weirdly slow motion for this region makes it doable. (Gloria blasted up the coast between NC and Long Island more than twice as fast.)

Finally... I'm excited to experience Irene on my home turf-- and it'll be fun to compare notes with my other Island buds, like A-L-E-X, etc.

If it busts, no biggie-- we were heading to NY anyway. More time with my Mom before I head back to CA.

[MJW155]

I think the bridges and tunnels into the city are closed now.

[Hoosier]

It's kind of crazy and crack-addict like, but we're going for the double-whammy with Irene-- charging up the East Coast to beat it to Long Island.

This morning we slowly made our way through flooded roads and downed trees, then slept all day in or blackened hotel in Morehead City. Irene's backside pounded the area all afternoon with heavy rain, and I'd occasionally wake up to the sound of our third-floor window shaking.

Six hours of sleep a cup of coffee later, we're wide-awake and ready for Round 2! We just navigated out of Carteret County--  which is blacked out, under curfew, and swarming with cops. (Thank God we didn't get pulled over.) 

It'll be another all-night drive, but we're cool with it.  We have no idea how the I95 is going to be, or whether we'll have trouble getting on the Island in the morning. My mother lives in Manhattan and my partner on this chase, Keith, is an Island resident, so that should help us get past any checkpoints.

I've never done a "double-dip" chase before, so I'm tickled by the novelty of it. Irene's weirdly slow motion for this region makes it doable. (Gloria blasted up the coast between NC and Long Island more than twice as fast.)

Finally... I'm excited to experience Irene on my home turf-- and it'll be fun to compare notes with my other Island buds, like A-L-E-X, etc.

If it busts, no biggie-- we were heading to NY anyway. More time with my Mom before I head back to CA.

Best of luck Josh.

[toad strangler]

It's kind of crazy and crack-addict like, but we're going for the double-whammy with Irene-- charging up the East Coast to beat it to Long Island.

you crazy nut bag

[boulderrr]

It's kind of crazy and crack-addict like, but we're going for the double-whammy with Irene-- charging up the East Coast to beat it to Long Island.

This morning we slowly made our way through flooded roads and downed trees, then slept all day in or blackened hotel in Morehead City. Irene's backside pounded the area all afternoon with heavy rain, and I'd occasionally wake up to the sound of our third-floor window shaking.

Six hours of sleep a cup of coffee later, we're wide-awake and ready for Round 2! We just navigated out of Carteret County-- which is blacked out, under curfew, and swarming with cops. (Thank God we didn't get pulled over.)

It'll be another all-night drive, but we're cool with it. We have no idea how the I95 is going to be, or whether we'll have trouble getting on the Island in the morning. My mother lives in Manhattan and my partner on this chase, Keith, is an Island resident, so that should help us get past any checkpoints.

I've never done a "double-dip" chase before, so I'm tickled by the novelty of it. Irene's weirdly slow motion for this region makes it doable. (Gloria blasted up the coast between NC and Long Island more than twice as fast.)

Finally... I'm excited to experience Irene on my home turf-- and it'll be fun to compare notes with my other Island buds, like A-L-E-X, etc.

If it busts, no biggie-- we were heading to NY anyway. More time with my Mom before I head back to CA.

Hell yeah. Good to hear you guys are attempting to work your way up the coast. Good luck and be safe. FYI - NCDOT reporting I-95 closed southbound near Halifax due to a tree down. Looks like northbound is open throughout NC though.

Also:

"Authorities also planned speed and lane restrictions on the Delaware Memorial Bridge, a major north-south span on Interstate 95, and could order it closed if conditions warranted. New York authorities said they could close the George Washington Bridge, depending on Irene's winds. Other New York City suspension bridges could also close."

[downeastnc]

good luck cant believe you got out of there....still lots of flooding and tree down EVERYWHERE so take it easy its a mess all the way back to I-95. Almost all the towns inland also have curfews etc.....Richmond got hit pretty hard winds over 70+ mph, lots of trees down etc........

[winterymix]

Josh: Here is a good source of NYC traffic:

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/traffic/

It seems the Holland Tunnel is still open but portions of the west end LI EXPWY have lane

closures due to water on the road. You could try rt 78 to rt 278 to rt 678 thru

Beechhurst and then to the LI EXPWY.

Good luck.

[k***]

there's no way you make it dude...I-95 is a disaster zone.

[NavarreDon]

It's kind of crazy and crack-addict like, but we're going for the double-whammy with Irene-- charging up the East Coast to beat it to Long Island.

This morning we slowly made our way through flooded roads and downed trees, then slept all day in or blackened hotel in Morehead City. Irene's backside pounded the area all afternoon with heavy rain, and I'd occasionally wake up to the sound of our third-floor window shaking.

Six hours of sleep a cup of coffee later, we're wide-awake and ready for Round 2! We just navigated out of Carteret County--  which is blacked out, under curfew, and swarming with cops. (Thank God we didn't get pulled over.) 

It'll be another all-night drive, but we're cool with it.  We have no idea how the I95 is going to be, or whether we'll have trouble getting on the Island in the morning. My mother lives in Manhattan and my partner on this chase, Keith, is an Island resident, so that should help us get past any checkpoints.

I've never done a "double-dip" chase before, so I'm tickled by the novelty of it. Irene's weirdly slow motion for this region makes it doable. (Gloria blasted up the coast between NC and Long Island more than twice as fast.)

Finally... I'm excited to experience Irene on my home turf-- and it'll be fun to compare notes with my other Island buds, like A-L-E-X, etc.

If it busts, no biggie-- we were heading to NY anyway. More time with my Mom before I head back to CA.

Wow this has the makings of a great book. Good luck & hope things stay together for you. Pretty amazing 48 hrs with more to come.

[saltysenior]

could they be speeding up I-95 to long island to catch a very rare double header ???

the possibility was there for the never accomplished "Atlantic Triple Header"

[NCHurricane]

Congrats Josh on the intercept! Safe travels and good luck with LF #2.

Thanks for visiting. Come back and see us now, ya' hear?

[Dunkman]

I think the bridges and tunnels into the city are closed now.

Just to add to this, I think there are a lot of bridge closures as you go north before you get to NYC, you may need to take a route west of I-95 at some point, maybe even by the time you get to Richmond.

[winterymix]

http://www.traffic.com/New-York-Traffic/New-York-Traffic-Reports.html

[toad strangler]

Just to add to this, I think there are a lot of bridge closures as you go north before you get to NYC, you may need to take a route west of I-95 at some point, maybe even by the time you get to Richmond.

this, getting through NJ is not going to be easy. I'm not betting against Josh and co. but NJ is getting pounded right now and will be for the some time. Flooding, downed trees, and closed routes will be a huge obstacle in getting close to LI. I would think that even in decent driving conditions they would be cutting it close.

[Organizing Low]

I think the bridges and tunnels into the city are closed now.

he can always take the train.

[A-L-E-X]

According to Lee Goldberg, LF time up here is around 11 AM (12 hours from now).... right around high tide!

Good luck, Josh.... I hope you get here in time!

This is one fun storm

Lots of heavy rain, brilliant lightning, crashing thunder, and tornadoes just to my south.

And the wind just started ramping up to around 40 mph.

[phil882]

It's kind of crazy and crack-addict like, but we're going for the double-whammy with Irene-- charging up the East Coast to beat it to Long Island.

This morning we slowly made our way through flooded roads and downed trees, then slept all day in or blackened hotel in Morehead City. Irene's backside pounded the area all afternoon with heavy rain, and I'd occasionally wake up to the sound of our third-floor window shaking.

Six hours of sleep a cup of coffee later, we're wide-awake and ready for Round 2! We just navigated out of Carteret County-- which is blacked out, under curfew, and swarming with cops. (Thank God we didn't get pulled over.)

It'll be another all-night drive, but we're cool with it. We have no idea how the I95 is going to be, or whether we'll have trouble getting on the Island in the morning. My mother lives in Manhattan and my partner on this chase, Keith, is an Island resident, so that should help us get past any checkpoints.

I've never done a "double-dip" chase before, so I'm tickled by the novelty of it. Irene's weirdly slow motion for this region makes it doable. (Gloria blasted up the coast between NC and Long Island more than twice as fast.)

Finally... I'm excited to experience Irene on my home turf-- and it'll be fun to compare notes with my other Island buds, like A-L-E-X, etc.

If it busts, no biggie-- we were heading to NY anyway. More time with my Mom before I head back to CA.

Good luck... I have no idea how bad the traffic is, but I can tell you this won't be easy!

there's no way you make it dude...I-95 is a disaster zone.

[A-L-E-X]

I think it being difficult is all part of the adventure-- if it was easy it wouldn't be nearly so much fun!

Just to add something else to the mix, NYC needs 2 more inches to beat their all time monthly rainfall record from September 1882! They came close but missed by 0.12" in October 2005.

[k***]

Just being honest. If he does make it and gets to intercept this, he can take credit for being the first chaser ever to sample the same storm as a tropical entity and as an icepusssy entity.

[toad strangler]

I think it being difficult is all part of the adventure-- if it was easy it wouldn't be nearly so much fun!

yeah but Josh himself has said so many times that he dislikes chases like this and prefers the much more predictable East to West cruiser type track. Perhaps this chase changes his mind!

[phil882]

I think it being difficult is all part of the adventure-- if it was easy it wouldn't be nearly so much fun!

Just to add something else to the mix, NYC needs 2 more inches to beat their all time monthly rainfall record from September 1882! They came close but missed by 0.12" in October 2005.

Yea I guess I would be an adrenaline rush to get back to it before it hits... my hunch though is that it doesn't have a direct hit on Long Island but stays inland in NJ.

That NYC record is in the bag for you guys... you will easily surpass it.

[Ozarkwx]

I would hazard a guess that traffic is not heavy tonight.

Seriously though Josh, be careful on the road tonight. This is probably somewhat more hazardous than anything you have done today due to the potential for unexpected road hazards and heavy rain/hydroplaning. Stay safe!.

[HurricaneJosh]

Thanks, everyone, for the well wishes. I owe some of you individual responses, and those are coming, And, thanks, winterymix, for the cool traffic links.

We're approaching the VA border and making good time. The roads are in great shape now. Lord knows if we'll make it to Landfall No. 2 in time-- but, hey, we're just going for bonus points on the way home. As Keith said, even if we miss the cyclone, it's nice to be hauling azz home in the wee hours instead of spending all night in a hot, pitch-black hotel.

We're racing N-- at five times the speed of Irene-- and I'm expecting we'll overtake the cyclone's latitude within the next two hours. If the center looks to be flirting with a N NJ landfall, we may abort the Long Island plan and instead head to the Jersey Shore. Let's see.