You want Celebrities? We Got’em.
Since Earl has been stealing the spot light for the last few days, it was just a matter of time before his “roadies” arrived. Everywhere you look is a convoy of doplar/radar equipped vans and cameramen with their fancy gear shooting and documenting everything in sight. Don’t get me wrong, Earl is DEFINITELY a force of nature that’s worth paying attention to, but it seems that the hype surrounding it is starting to go a bit “hollywood”. All within 12 hours, Earl has downgraded from 145 mph to 115 mph — and is expected to decrease in wind speed before it arrives to the Outer Banks. The eye of the storm is forecasted to be over the ocean keeping the heavy winds and most of the rain out to sea. Areas South of Oregon Inlet will certainly see the most impact as Earl brushes by with wind gusts up to 75 mph. Further North “in town” will see gusts up to 65 mph. Most locals here on the island are staying put. They have experienced these types of conditions before and know what to expect. Power outages, tidal surges, flooded waters and closed roads are what comes with living in this area. I think everyone that lives in this area can agree with me when I say…. I’ll take a hurricane over a tornado/earthquake/fire any day. At least you can spot it a thousand miles away.
On another note, Tropical Storm Fiona is on track to mow over Bermuda with 50 mph winds, then making the curve out to sea and loosing strength. Tropical Depression Gaston is still a mystery. Stay tuned.
i agree with the hype factor. i live in frisco,and used to own cape pines motel for 20 years. locals are always more comfortable when tourists are evacted because when its bad here they become a burden for services and usually there are no foods etc.the irony is Jim cantellastory said he would stay to show just how important it is to leave. As soon as he said that i decided i for sure would stay.it was important that the storm droped to a cat 2. again the problem was frisco and buxton had the worse flooding since emily of 93. you just never know. i talked with jeff morrow the day before [his parents live here and are very nice freinds of my family]and he felt like the winds would diminish,and they did. they should of had him here instead, he is much more normal and not such a drama queen. every storm is different,hard to know whaqt to do
Wise words, Doc.
Hurricanes are an economic stimulus package for Gas stations(read BP) grocery stores,inland hotels, building suppliers and insurance companies(justify raising rates all over) .follow the money and you will arrive at advertising on TV. In the last big evacuation from the south 100 people died on the road evacuating, less than 10 from the storm. Mass media will continue to dominate this venue.Remember when the weather channel was advertisement free. That is how most addictions begin.Sorry for the ramble but us old timers are tired of the hype and chaos it brings. Go surf!
Well that’s what you call publicity and it’s apart of any sector of news media. It’s not something new to blow-up stories, that’s how they make their living. It’s up to the consumer of the information to apply their own skepticism into to the analysis. Don’t blame the news casters such as Cantore, blame yourselves for not reasoning reality and fallacies my friends! This isn’t the first time we have seen them blow up hurricane stories on air and its not the last.
Returned to NY last night after getting the boot from Dare County. Can’t help but think that drama-queen Cantore with his talk of impending doom had an influence on the county’s decision. Saw him late last night on Hatteras talking about the pine smell that apparently was coming from “gasp”…. broken branches!!! Thanks Jim! I’m sure glad I was saved from flying twigs!
John, I feel your pain. None-the-less, it was a Cat 4 — dangerously close with potential to destroy anything in it’s path. I can’t speak for the county and their decisions but I too was worried for my family and belongings for a “brief” moment. What I wonder is how the “county” deals with Nor’Easters as opposed to hurricanes. We had a Nor’Easter recently that was way worse than this hurricane.