Hurricane Irene Downgraded, But Still a Threat to Jersey Shore

Hurricane Irene, packing 90 m.p.h. winds, has been downgraded to a category one hurricane, but forecasters on Saturday morning were still warning Shore residents to continue to prepare for the worst Saturday morning.

At 5 a.m., Irene was located 380 miles south-southwest of Atlantic City, according to the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly. All of the coastal counties of New Jersey remained under a hurricane warning, and were in place on all local barrier islands and in some other waterfront communities.

Overall, between 6 and 10 inches of rain was expected to fall before all was said and done, according to the latest NWS forecast.

An early-morning advisory from the National Hurricane Center in Miami said that Irene "lost some organization" Saturday morning, probably because dry air over land was beginning to obstruct the storm's development. The storm is expected to continue to weaken slowly, but steadily, over the next 48 hours, with wind speeds dropping to 60 m.p.h. - below the minimum 74 m.p.h. that is hurricane strength - by Monday morning.

The storm will still be a minimal category one storm, packing winds of about 80 m.p.h., when it affects New Jersey late tonight into Sunday morning.

According to the NWS forecast, Ocean and Monmouth counties should begin to see initial bands of rain during the afternoon Saturday. The worst of the storm will affect New Jersey during the overnight hours into Sunday morning.

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The county's keys for readiness are as follows:

• Prepare –  Assemble a Kit of Emergency Supplies – Batteries, flashlight, radio, first-aid kit,  medications, food and water to last three or more days, can opener, cooking tools, toiletries.
• Create an Emergency Plan – Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan a way to contact one another, such as enlisting the help of a third party in another state as a contact, and review what you will do in different situations.
• Stay Informed – Listen to local radio and television for the latest information on storms and other emergencies.  Review what warning sirens are used in your community to alert residents of major emergencies.

“Preparing for the worst makes dealing with it that much easier,” Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said. “The likelihood that you and your family will survive a nor’easter, hurricane or other emergency depends on the preparations that you make now.”

Monmouth County Freeholder Thomas Arnone has also stressed financial readiness.

“To bring your readiness to the next level you should prepare your finances and consider making yourself available to help your neighbors in an emergency,” Arnone said.

The county advises: "Consider your insurance and financial needs in the event of a disaster. Also, take time to prepare a household inventory. If an evacuation is necessary, be sure to have cash or credit cards at your disposal."

Emergency personnel also provided a number of recommendations for emergency supply kits. The list of items to include is as follows:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers

Additional items to consider adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire Extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Related Topics: Hurricane Irene and jersey shore weather