Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Parties, and Evacuation

This whole week, Hurricane Irene hasn't been too capricious...until last night.  Sometime during the night, she took a little Westward Shift, which puts the Outer Banks back in the realm of landfall.  And we're going to get more than a stiff breeze, if she doesn't straighten up.

We are still Just Below the Pink Zone, which is the Hurricane Watch area.

The 11:00 AM update from the National Hurricane Center  has nudged the track even more Westward, and keeps it there because of a ridge building out in the Atlantic.  Which means a lot more of the East Coast is going to get torn up, all the way up into New York City, Cape Cod, New Hampshire and Vermont.  New York City is contemplating evacuation of low lying areas - you can read about the plans HERE.

Yesterday, the Town of Ocean Isle Beach hadn't pushed the panic button yet and called for evacuation. Which is a Good Thing.  No one wants to evacuate unless it is absolutely necessary...

 

Here is the website for Ocean Isle Beach visitors, and what they had to say yesterday afternoon:

Browse > Home / Around The Town / Hurricane Irene Expected To Track East Ocean Isle Beach!

Hurricane Irene Expected To Track East Ocean Isle Beach!

August 24, 2011 by gary  
Filed under Around The Town

There are no mandatory or voluntary evacuations declared at this time.
At 11:00 AM, Hurricane Irene was located at 22.4 degrees North and 73.9 degrees West, or approximately 900 miles south of Brunswick County.
Hurricane Irene is now a Category 3 hurricane and is expected to track to the east of our area.  It is expected that we could feel tropical storm force winds of 30-35 knots beginning around 10:00 PM on Friday night and continuing into midday on Saturday.
High surf and rip currents are also anticipated with rainfall varying from one to two inches.
There are no mandatory or voluntary evacuations declared at this time but with any storm of this category, we urge property owners and guest to continue monitoring the storm as is approaches our area.
This site will be periodically updated as new information is available.

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That was the update from Gary, at Ocean Isle Beach website before the Westward Shift. 

Here is a link to the Town of Ocean Isle Beach - that is the site to watch if you are a property owner or renter looking for information online.

Now here is the amazing news...

A local restaurant here on the island is actually planning a Hurricane Party on Friday night, just as the storm approaches our coast - complete with live music by Bailout. You KNOW that Hurricane Drinks will be de rigueur.  Which means a lot of tipsy folks could be trying to Batten the Hatches at 3:00 in the morning if Hurricane Irene DOES decide to get capricious and take a  Westward Waggle.  Everyone will truly be trying to Bail Out, and it will be too late.

Now that is what I call thumbing your nose at Hurricane Irene, and potentially asking for trouble. 

I will keep you posted!!