I was only talking about the coverage after the storm passed north of Norfolk and the peak winds dropped below 60 knots - the storm hitting NC and southern VA was big news. Once the eye disappeared and the pressure began to rise, and NHC said no further intensification could occur - it was just a rain storm and hardly worth the drama on all the major channels.

I was not criticizing boat owners for preparing for the worst nor was I criticizing the authorities for their new conferences, evacuation demands, shutdowns, etc - Lord Knows my hurricane preparations have, on rare occasions, been less than useful. Until the storm weakened on Saturday afternoon it was a serious threat. After those threats ended the news should have calmed down and just reported FACTS.

I was talking about the reporters in New York, Newport, Newark, Atlantic City trying to make a big deal out of nothing. How can anyone consider it news worthy when the reporter is standing on the battery water front and there is not a white cap in sight? I saw dozens of overhyped reports showing 4' surf - out here that is a small day of no note. What is newsworthy about a 4' shore break? I watched 15 minutes of the USCG struggling with a 40' sailboat on a concrete bulkhead in Bedford - the harbor had barely a whitecap, there was no rain, no blown spray - what the heck is that doing on the national news?

You might look at the storm in Dr Masses blog - the storm force winds extended from the North end of Vancouver Island to south of Eureka - that is close to 1000 statute miles.

Puget Sound regularly gets inundated with 5" - 7" of rain and dozens of rivers flood but there is no breathless Jim Cantore standing on the breakwater as the Snohomish overtops the levee and floods hundreds of square miles - nor do we want him here.

The question that should be asked is why are the utilities of a major metropolitan area below ground that ground is protected by only a 4' seawall?