Irene Goodnight

It looks like Irene will be a tropical storms by the time it hist New England. The weather report says there is already rain and later tonight New England will even have enhanced moisture.

So flooding and power outages will be the big problem here, though it remains true that the trees in this particular extended forest that is New England have never been tested under the stress of winds this high, and lots of them will lose limbs or go down. Gusts to 85mph, but sustained winds 45-65, only a little more than has hit these trees. Some chance of it creeping back up to 55-75, gusts to 90, but not likely.

Enhanced moisture. That's what happens to language when you start trying to get too cute. There is nothing enhanced about this moisture. No one gave it extra molecules or painted it pretty colors. There's just more of it than usual.