We may have spoken too soon in our last Sunday Summary, regarding the hype centering around, and the damage caused, by Hurricane and Tropical Storm Irene, as the effects of the storm still linger. As of this morning, the death toll had risen to at least 44 in 13 states, and nearly 2 million people were still without power. Early estimates pin the damage somewhere between $7 billion and $10 billion.
Possibly, and ironically, the state most devastated by the storm would be one of the last states to see it--Vermont. Up to 11 inches of rain fell in spots there, swelling creeks and rivers already flowing briskly with a rather heavy winter's runoff, which in turn washed out roads and cars and not a few of those picturesque (not to mention historical) covered bridges. Thousands remain stranded there, cutoff by the flooding and the damage it has caused. National Guard helicopters have had to airlift food and water into the stranded communities.
We can see more clearly now the dynamic of what was purported to be the "hype" of the storm that didn't seem to pack the punch that everyone had expected. Hurricanes and tropical storms are known for, and categorized by the winds generated near their core. Hence, as she first made landfall as a category 1, then continued up the east coast as a tropical storm, all wondered where the winds were. The initial urgency of the storm was then thought to be "hype." Yet, the dashed expectations of heavy winds left everyone forgetful of deluge of rain that these storms also carry with them, and when that rain falls in places already saturated from recent rain and runoff, there is flooding.
Irene is now long gone, but many shall nonetheless be remembering her for some time to come.
To make matters even more compelling, as of this writing, another storm called Katia churns in the Atlantic ...
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