IRENE WEAKENS

ATLANTIC CITY – Hurricane Irene is weakening and may not be the “apocalypse” that authorities in multiple states are making it out to be.
The worst storm in the history of the world?
Armageddon?  The apocalypse?
Once in a lifetime storm?
Well, looks like Irene was just teasing us.  Yes, it is a major storm, but “Armageddon” – probably not.

Dr. Simon Atkins, CEO, of  Advaned Forecasting Corporation as the hype over Hurricane Irene is overblown.  He predicts that “North of Delaware, most hurricane force winds will very likely be gusts, not sustained winds.”
Atkins goes on to say that, “The demise of Irene has already begun. There is no visible eye. The storm intensity is down to 99 mph. This would be a low-end category 2 or a strong category 1 storm, while 36 hours ago some predicted a catastrophic category 4 storm. Air Force Reserve aircraft have found that Irene’s eyewall has collapsed, and the central pressure has risen — rising pressure means a weakening storm.”
But that’s not stopping Mayor Bloomberg from putting the fear of God into New Yorkers:

“Do not be fooled by the sun outside—that is the calm before the storm,” Mr. Bloomberg warned during a televised news conference from City Hall Friday afternoon. “You can’t wait until there are gale force winds and driving rains arrive. It will be too late then. You have to start your preparations to leave right now.”
Many New Yorkers were ignoring his warnings.  This woman on Coney Island Beach didn’t seem worried:

He issued mandatory evacuations for all New Yorkers in Zone A.   He shut buses, trains and subways.  Governor Cuomo said he would shut down the George Washington Bridge and the Tappan Zee Bridge, if winds get over 60 mph.  Basically, the Mayor and Governor were telling New Yorkers to… “get out!!”

Chris Christie, the Governor of New Jersey, was blowing a lot of wind himself.  “I want everybody off the beaches.  If you stay on the beaches, I’m personally gonna come over and beat your a**.”
Dr. Atkins told WWN.  “The reduction in storm intensity likely confirms that this storm is not going to be as monstrous as it has been publicly forecast to be. Yes, it will be windy. However, north of Delaware most hurricane force winds will very likely be gusts, not sustained winds.”
Advanced Forecasting Corporation, modeled the following predictions:
1)    There will be wind damage over eastern-most North Carolina as well as some storm surge flooding up the Pamlico Sound. Some houses in the Hamptons will be flooded and destroyed. Flooding might occur in New York’s Battery Park Subway station and on the FDR Drive since the city could get up to 8 inches of rain. There may be some New England neighborhoods submerged due to rivers overflowing.
2)    With 90% confidence, we predict a total damage bill below $1 billion. Unless there is an unexpected secondary or tertiary event, this is not going to be a huge-loss storm.
So, will it be Armageddon or a Hard Drizzle?  What do you think?