Hurricane Irene closed roads that had never had a problem with flooding before, according to Ben Galiardo, Lower Macungie Township's emergency management coordinator. Indeed, several roads became raging rivers. Macungie Road, in and around its one-lane bridge, was one incredible example. Only the very tops of the bridge's handrail were visible across the vast flooded area surrounding the creek. The Spring Creek/Millcreek roads intersection was another. The road was swallowed completely by overflowing water from the Little Lehigh Creek. The "Road Closed" sign was almost totally submerged. …

Herd animals like bison and elk have an instinct for knowing when to hunker down, which is one reason the Lehigh Valley Zoo isn’t shipping the animals elsewhere to ride out the coming storm. Richard Rosevear, the zoo’s general curator, said he expects the bison and elk around the facility’s perimeter to bed down and stay low to the ground if high winds and heavy rains hit this weekend as expected. “They know it’s coming long before we do,” he said. “They can detect changes in barometric pressure.” The bigger concern is that a hurricane could knock down trees that would put a hole in the chain…

Editor's Note: Patch will be covering the storm impact throughout the weekend. We invite all our readers to share photos and observations. Send them to mariella.savidge@patch.com.   Forecasters say tropical storm conditions Saturday night and Sunday could bring wind gusts of 60 mph. So, how strong could that wind actually be? The Beaufort Scales are used to measure wind speed. The scale uses a 1 through 12 rating for wind ranging from “Calm” to “Hurricane” force. Here are some of the ratings: * Near Gale (32-38 mph) - Whole trees in motion, inconvenience in walking. * Gale (39-46 mph) - …

With Hurricane Irene almost certain to batter our area this weekend, the need for up-to-the minute info is even more important. At Patch, we will be working around-the-clock to cover the storm, but as with of our reporting, the more interaction we get from users the more comprehensive our coverage will be. Lower Macungie Patch is as much your site as it is ours.So as we all weather Irene's fierce wind and intense rain, here’s how you can use Patch to help paint the local picture of the event.1. Get the news. When we know about storm-related news, so will you. From important local and county …

Hurricane Irene is expected to bring heavy rain and winds gusting up to 60 mph to South Whitehall Saturday night into Sunday. More rain dousing our already saturated ground could cause downed trees and power outages. The Red Cross and utility companies advise residents to have a storm kit handy. Your kit should include: Bottled water (one gallon per person per day). Non-perishable food and can opener. Blankets, bedding and toiletries. Baby formula, diapers, bottles and wet wipes, if needed. First-aid kit and enough prescription medicines. Flashlight with fresh batteries. Battery-operated …

Experts say that taking the time now to prepare for Hurricane Irene could make the difference in comfort and safety for you and your family at the storm barrels ever closer. Local officials say the threat is real here in and around Macungie, Lower Mac and Alburtis. Ben Galiardo, emergency management coordinator for the township, said the ground is in no condition to endure a hurricane right now. “The ground is really saturated right now, and high winds will easily uproot trees. We can expect widespread power outages. “PPL will be very busy, so people should plan to be without electricity for …