Irene Update 4 PM Saturday; Bay Bridge Tunnel Closed:

Irene Update 4 PM Saturday; Bay Bridge Tunnel Closed:
Bay Bridge Details:
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (commonly known as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and, at the time, with a length of 4.3 miles (6.9 km), it was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure. The parallel span was added in 1973. The bridge is officially named the William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge after William Preston Lane, Jr. who, as governor of Maryland, initiated its construction.The bridge is part of U.S. Routes 50 and 301, and serves as a vital link in both routes. As part of U.S. Route 50, it connects the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area with tourist destinations such as Ocean City, Maryland, Delaware's ocean resorts, Assateague Island, and Chincoteague, Virginia. As part of U.S. Route 301, it serves as part of an alternate route for Interstate 95 travelers between northern Delaware and the Washington, D.C. area. Because of this linkage, the bridge is heavily traveled and has become known as a point of traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours and summer months.
Update 4 PM Saturday Bridge Tunnel Closed:
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel connecting the southern tip of the Delmarva to mainland Virginia has been closed to all traffic until further notice as Hurricane Irene moved toward the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay late Saturday afternoon.President Obama has signed and Emergency Declaration for Maryland that allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief with state and local officials.According to a release from the state Emergency Management Agency, the declaration allows FEMA to “save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Baltimore, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester, and Baltimore City.”Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.
To day news The Bay Bridge travel restricted as winds increase:
BALTIMORE — A rescue crew from Coast Guard Station Annapolis, Md., assisted three people north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge after their 23-foot boat began taking on water Saturday afternoon. The boater contacted Coast Guard Sector Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is closed. by mema_admin August 27, 2011. Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is closed until further notice authority of Virginia OEM. Tags: hurricane, virgina, roads · Hurricane · Comments (0). Contact the Office Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is closed. by mema_admin August 27, 2011. Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is closed until further notice authority of Virginia OEM. Tags: hurricane, virgina, roads · Hurricane · Comments (0). Contact the Office SANDY POINT The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and other Maryland Transportation Authority facilities remain open for traffic after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Virginia and was felt up and down the Chesapeake Bay. "Operations staff have accessed all SANDY POINT The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and other Maryland Transportation Authority facilities remain open for traffic after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Virginia and was felt up and down the Chesapeake Bay. "Operations staff have accessed all.”
 

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Chesapeake Bay Bridge:
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (commonly known as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and, at the time, with a length of 4.3 miles (6.9 km), it was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure. The parallel span was added in 1973. The bridge is officially named the William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge after William Preston Lane, Jr. who, as governor of Maryland, initiated its construction.The bridge is part of U.S. Routes 50 and 301, and serves as a vital link in both routes. As part of U.S. Route 50, it connects the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area with tourist destinations such as Ocean City, Maryland, Delaware's ocean resorts, Assateague Island, and Chincoteague, Virginia. As part of U.S. Route 301, it serves as part of an alternate route for Interstate 95 travelers between northern Delaware and the Washington, D.C. area. Because of this linkage, the bridge is heavily traveled and has become known as a point of traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours and summer months.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Details:
Chesapeake Bay Bridge traffic can get heavy at times, especially during summer weekends as people travel Route 50 to and from the beaches.  Here is some traffic information to help with trip planning.  We've provided links to current traffic condition and traffic webcams, as well as some tips on the best time to travel Route 50 and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to miss traffic jams, including the summertime Ocean City beach traffic.
Current Traffic Conditions:
Chesapeake Bay Bridge current conditions, live audio online.  Nice little service from the Maryland Transportation Authority.  You can also get the same information by calling 1-877-BAYSPAN.
Live Chesapeake Bay Bridge Webcams.  Check on traffic conditions before you leave home with these live webcams.
Maryland Transportation Auothority Travel Advisories.  The official word on Bay Bridge lane closures, etc., updated weekly. 
Toll:
$2.50 for two axle vehicles + $2.50 per additional axle.  Toll booth is on the Western Shore side.
Length:
4.2 miles.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which takes Route 50 across the Chesapeake Bay between the Kent Island and Annapolis areas, is officially named The William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial (Bay) Bridge - but most locals refer to it simply as the "Bay Bridge."  The Bridge is 4.2 miles long - one of the longest over water structures in the world.  The Bay Bridge is actually two side by side bridges with two lanes of traffic on each span.  The first bridge (eastbound span) opened in July of 1952 and the second bridge (westbound span) opened in June of 1973.  The Bay Bridge is named after William Preston Lane, Jr., who was the Governor of Maryland when construction of the first span began. 

Norfolk Va

Norfolk, Virginia:
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach.Norfolk is located at the core of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, named for the large natural harbor of the same name located at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. It is one of nine cities and seven counties that constitute the Hampton Roads metro area, officially known as the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA.
2 Rescued From Distressed DailBoat:
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - A man, woman and cat were rescued this morning from a sailboat at 9th View in the Willoughby area of Norfolk.The sailboat was about 400 feet off the beach, according to Coast Guard spokesman John Miller.Miller said they couldn't get a small boat or an aircraft to get near it so a line-throwing gun was used to attempt to pull the people to shore.Norfolk marine patrol and fire and rescue units responded to the scene.
Norfolk Fire-Rescue swimmers rescue two in Ocean View:
PORTSMOUTH, Va. -- Norfolk Fire-Rescue swimmers rescued two people and a cat Saturday when their 30-foot sailing vessel ran aground off Ocean View Beach in Norfolk, Va., during the onset of Hurricane Irene. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads command center received the initial report from a good Samaritan at approximately 8 a.m. that a sailboat was dragging its anchor 400 feet from the beach. Personnel from Norfolk Fire-Rescue, Virginia Marine Resources Commission Police and the Norfolk Police Department responded to the scene.The sailboat was homeported in Portsmouth, Va., but left Friday for Annapolis, Md., to escape the oncoming storm. When severe weather overtook them, they attempted to deploy their anchor.
Heavy seas and winds prevented rescue personnel from reaching the sailboat. It was ultimately pushed closer to shore and over a jetty, whereupon its keel embedded in the sand.Norfolk Fire-Rescue then deployed two rescue swimmers to the vessel, who after securing two lines to it, assisted the people and the cat through waist- to chest-deep water onto shore.Our rescue swimmers helped the people off the sailboat," said Norfolk Fire-Rescue Capt. Mike Marsala, "but it was an excellent joint effort with Norfolk Police, Virginia Marine Resources Commission and the Coast Guard. This operation shows how well our agencies cooperate in emergencies.
VDOT closes 2 tunnels in Hampton Roads:
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Department of Transportation has closed the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and the Midtown Tunnel because of Hurricane Irene.VDOT closed the Midtown Tunnel, which connects Norfolk and Portsmouth, at 10 a.m. because of the threat of flooding. They shut down the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel an hour late as tropical storm conditions hit the area..Other bridges are expected to remain open for traffic, although travel will become increasingly more hazardous. VDOT is encouraging motorists to stay off the roads until the storm passes.Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
"

Hurricane Hazards: Storm Surge

Hurricane Hazards: Storm Surge:
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea level. Low pressure at the center of a weather system also has a small secondary effect.
Storm Surge:
The greatest potential for loss of life related to a hurricane is from the storm surge!
Storm surge is simply water that is pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds swirling around the storm. This advancing surge combines with the normal tides to create the hurricane storm tide, which can increase the mean water level to heights impacting roads, homes and other critical infrastructure. In addition, wind driven waves are superimposed on the storm tide. This rise in water level can cause severe flooding in coastal areas, particularly when the storm tide coincides with the normal high tides. Because much of the United States' densely populated Atlantic and Gulf Coast coastlines lie less than 10 feet above mean sea level, the danger from storm tides is tremendous.The storm surge combined with wave action can cause extensive damage, severely erode beaches and coastal highways. With major storm like Katrina, Camille, and Hugo, complete devastation of coastal communities occurred. Many buildings withstand hurricane force winds until their foundations, undermined by erosion, are weakened and fail.

Virginia coast could face historic storm surge

Virginia coast could face historic storm surge:
Storm Introduction:
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea level. Low pressure at the center of a weather system also has a small secondary effect, as can the bathymetry of the body of water. It is this combined effect of low pressure and persistent wind over a shallow water body which is the most common cause of storm surge flooding problems. The term "storm surge" in casual (non-scientific) use is storm tide.Along the coast, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane. In the past, large death tolls have resulted from the rise of the ocean associated with many of the major hurricanes that have made landfall. Hurricane Katrina (2005) is a prime example of the damage and devastation that can be caused by surge. At least 1500 persons lost their lives during Katrina and many of those deaths occurred directly, or indirectly, as a result of storm surge.
Virginia coast:
Storm surge estimates are rising, which means worse flooding for parts of Norfolk and Portsmouth as Hurricane Irene bears down on Virginia, according to Gov. Bob McDonnell.We are still right in the line of fire,” McDonnell said in an interview with MSNBC. “We've got two or four hours now we're expecting the worst part of the storm, the highest winds.The storm surge estimates have gone up in the last hour to now 5 to 7 feet, which means that some of the areas of Norfolk and Portsmouth will actually have 9 feet above mean low water mark, so it's going to be significant flooding in those areas.“We're still expecting as much as 12 inches of rain and maybe as high as 15 in some areas.”McDonnell said Virginia is up to about 650,000 customers out of power “which means about 1.5 million people, so it's a significant event (and) we expect more of that.”Virginians “have largely heeded the mandatory evacuation orders that we gave earlier,” he said.And they're staying off the roads, which is just great.

Storm Surge

New York City storm surge:
In an unprecedented move, New York City is evacuating nearly 400,000 residents of low-lying sections of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Just as unprecedented, the city's airports and subways are being shut down, and Con Ed is warning that if it has to cut electricity to Wall Street, it could take three days to restore it

Storm Details:
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea level. Low pressure at the center of a weather system also has a small secondary effect, as can the bathymetry of the body of water. It is this combined effect of low pressure and persistent wind over a shallow water body which is the most common cause of storm surge flooding problems. The term "storm surge" in casual (non-scientific) use is storm tide; that is, it refers to the rise of water associated with the storm, plus tide, wave run-up, and freshwater flooding. When referencing storm surge height, it is important to clarify the usage, as well as the reference point. National Hurricane Center tropical cyclone reports reference storm surge as water height above predicted astronomical tide level, and storm tide as water height above NGVD-29. Most casualties during a tropical cyclone occur during the storm surge.
 

 How high will the flood waters go?
The National Hurricane Center warned that hurricane Irene was still expected to arrive in New York Sunday night at or near hurricane strength.The big concern: Storm surge.The Miami-based National Hurricane Center has forecast a storm surge of up to 8 feet for Long Island and metropolitan New York when Irene passes, Reuters reports.Storm surge is caused primarily by strong winds pushing on the surface of the water, creating a higher than normal tide. Other factors contributing to storm surge can be large amounts of rain, and in this case, a full moon on Sunday.Higher than normal astronomical tides are occurring this weekend," said Daniel Brown, a meteorologist for NOAA's National Hurricane Center. "Coastal and river flooding will be highest in areas where the peak surge occurs around the time of high tide."A storm surge model developed by MIT, shows that areas around Manhattan, including lower Manhattan, could show a surge of four feet on top of the high tide.Another model by The Stony Brook Storm Surge Research Group at the State University of New York, offers an interactive map that's updated every 12 hours. It indicates that the peak surge for The Battery is at 5:15 am Sunday. If you click on the buoys on the map around New York, you can see the surge charted in specific areas over the next 12 hours.The Stony Brook site advises that this is a research model still under development and shouldn't be use for evacuation decisions.But clearly NYC officials are taking the storm surge threat seriously.Consolidated Edison said it wouldn't shut down the city's electricity pre-emptively, but could cut power early Sunday in low-lying parts of Manhattan, including to 6,000 homes or businesses south of the Brooklyn Bridge. The area includes New York's Financial District, according to Reuters.Con Ed officials say it could take three days to restore power in lower Manhattan, if power is shut off, reports The New York Daily News.

Melissa Gilbert Divorce: 'Little House On The Prairie Star' Files For Divorce

Melissa Gilbert Divorce: 'Little House On The Prairie Star' Files For Divorce :
LOS ANGELES — Court records show Melissa Gilbert has filed for divorce after 16 years of marriage to fellow actor Bruce Boxleitner. The former "Little House on the Prairie" star cited irreconcilable differences in her divorce petition, which was filed Monday in Los Angeles.The filing states the couple separated in January, shortlyaftertheir16thweddinganniversary.Gilbert served two terms as president of the Screen Actor's Guild, and Boxleitner has appeared in numerous movies and television series, including "Babylon 5" and both "Tron" films.
The couple has a 15-year-old son together.
Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls on "Little House," is seeking joint custody of their son and no spousal support from Boxleitner.