What will happen when the power goes out from Irene's winds and flooding? Not only do the lights go out and gas pumps won't work, but cell towers may shut down, and internet access may not be available.
Here, Alex Sosnowski, expert senior meteorologist for AccuWeather.com, provides some helpful guidance for the millions of people who could be in the dark at the height of Irene's passage and after her departure.
Sosnowski describes how saturated ground, waterlogged limbs and strong winds will have trees coming down and taking power lines with them this weekend.
He explains: “Not only may people without generators have to face no lights, refrigeration, air conditioning and cold showers for hours, but some folks may have to do without these essentials for days.
“Even if your neighborhood has underground utilities, power outages elsewhere can lead to a failure at your home.”
Cell Phones, Computers
“What many don't realize is that when the power goes out, your cell phone charge won't last long, and that cell towers also require electricity to run. Not every cell tower has a generator that will hold the fort. Some only have a spare battery charge that lasts for a couple of hours.
“If the power is out, your modem/router will not work, or will not work for long if on a battery back-up.
“So even though your cell phone is fully charged, some customers may have trouble getting a signal or successful two-way communication.
“Several years ago, a plan to beef-up cell tower reserve power was turned down by the government, according to PCWorld and IDG News.”
Fuel
“No doubt utility crews will be scrambling to repair downed utility lines in the wake of Irene. However, they will not get to every neighborhood on the double.
“Make sure you have a full tank of gas in your car, as the pumps need electrical power to run. Otherwise, you may be driving considerable distance to find a gas station that has its pumps running, and you could be facing long lines.
“Several refineries in the region are planning to shut down services until the danger of flooding and high winds from Irene has passed.”
Transportation
“Many folks in the larger cities don't have automobiles to get where they need to go. A shutdown of mass transit will prove to be a serious problem. It may be more like mass chaos.
“Irene is already impacting mass transit in the I-95 corridor with Amtrak stopping service. According to the New York Daily News, MTA of the New York City area is preparing for a complete shutdown of its subways, trains and buses this weekend.
“Taxicab services will be busy this weekend. However, that could be a challenge and very costly, especially with up to a foot of rain forecast for the region that will flood streets and intersections.
“Irene already began to impact flights along the East Coast earlier this week, and a slew of cancelations are likely this weekend as Irene directly impacts several major airports.
“Some airlines even move their planes out of airports and keep them out until the danger has passed. It could take some time getting planes back to where people are in the wake of Irene.
“As a result, Irene will not only impact air travel along the I-95 Northeast, but on an international basis. Many international flights depart from airports including New York, Philadelphia and Boston, which lie along the impact zone of Irene.”
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