Cliff Mass Ph.D University of Washington Meteorology Department regarding Irene:

"there is really no reliable evidence of hurricane-force winds at any time the storm was approaching North Carolina or moving up the East Coast."

"I took a look at all the observations over Virgina, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. Not one National Weather Service or FAA observation location, not one buoy observations, none reach the requisite wind speed. Most were not even close."

His blog is titled "When Did Irene Stop Being a Hurricane?" http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/

He does provide a lot of very detailed observations to support his argument

I have downloaded the detailed buoy observations from Hatteras coastline and the southern Chesapeake and have to say I can find no hurricane force winds reported anywhere. The max National Buoy Data Center wind reported at HCGN7 (south end of NC outer banks was 50 knots/968mb and at CLKN7 (Cape Lookout) was 58knots/955mb and the same at DUKN7 (just N or Kill Devil Hills). Chesapeak Light (CHLV2) maxed at 58knots/958mb...etc.

I am not in anyway trying to diminish the problems with flooding and power outages. I just think that the news media and popular press needs to trend a little close to the truth instead of taking the FOX news approach to reality -i.e. "report what you believe/want to believe/want to hear & see."