Hurricane Irene seen as harbinger of a warming climate

When Tsunami Flood the Statue of Liberty - The funniest bloopers are right here

New York shut down, 2 million without power

New York – Top officials in the Big Apple told those who had not yet evacuated to batten the hatches and get ready for the blow.

“The time to evacuate is past,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg, as power companies shut down nuclear reactors all along the eastern seaboard, oil refineries closed, the subways stopped running and multi-state blackouts set in.

The 80-mph winds and storm surge will likely flood lower Manhattan, inundate underground power stations and soak down information and communications terminals below street levels.

By the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, August 28, the storm had dumped a solid 12 inches of rain on the region. (click here for the latest weather report)

Even the Staten Island Ferry has suspended service. New York will probably be shut down as the world's information and economic hub for the foreseeable future.

Weather experts predict that hurricanes will be both more frequent and more intense as the climate warms.