BILL QUICK: NYC Authorities Downplaying Irene Threat: Could Be Much Worse Than They Are Saying . It’s too early to be sure, but not at all too early to be preparing — or leaving — if you live in the area. Just remember: If a lot of people decide to leave Manhattan and Long Island all of a sudden, the bridges and tunnels will be pretty jammed.

UPDATE: Reader Donald Gately writes: “Paul Krugman has been publicly pining for a huge disaster to spur infrastructure spending. Do you think he’ll be even a tiny bit embarrassed if NYC gets clobbered by a massive hurricane? Or would he (like Michael Moore) decry the fact that something horrible happened to a righteous blue state rather than an evil red state?”

Well, just keep a close eye on hurricane-invoker James Wolcott.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Apparently the Krugman disaster-pining isn’t true. “Yesterday, there were rumors that Krugman stated that it would have been stimulative if the earthquake had been stronger and done more damage, but he exposed this as a prank (though it is understandable that many people — including me, I’m embarrassed to admit — initially assumed it was true since he did write that the 9-11 terrorist attacks boosted growth).” Wolcott’s not off the hook, though.