We're still kinda soggy around Northern New Jersey and even into New York, Connecticut and Vermont, but the nice weather is helping to dry things out. Things are starting to return to normal, if by normal you mean that there are still more than 250,000 people without power in the NYC metro area (110k are without power in NC where Irene first roared ashore). That's a vast improvement from the millions without power in the hours and days immediately after the storm came ashore, and some of these folks will be without power until the storm flooding recedes and power crews can safely work on restoring the power lines and damaged systems.
Flooding will persist in some parts of New Jersey through the weekend, when President Obama will visit Paterson to tour the damage and see the aftereffects of the flooding first-hand.
Meanwhile, Gov. Christie has slammed Congress for even appearing to play games with storm assistance funding - a direct slap at folks like Rep. Eric Cantor (a fellow GOPer) who has stated that he would only support disaster aid accompanied by offsetting cuts. Expect Cantor to back off that nonsensical position because it's the government's job to help deal with natural disasters and help local communities recover from catastrophic damage resulting from storms and other calamities.
The nice weather reprieve may not last that much longer though. TS Katia is now a hurricane and has the potential to make waves for the East Coast. It's still too soon to predict with 100% certainty that it will stay offshore, but there's actually a tropical disturbance in the Gulf that may pose more of a threat as moisture from that system may find its way towards the Northeast in the next week.
Just what the flooding victims are least likely to want to hear.
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