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[UPDATE 6:10 P.M.] Tracking Irene: Friday Afternoon Hurricane Update

Get ready for some nasty weather this weekend.

Key takeaways:

  • Worst weather late Sat p.m. to Sun a.m.
  • 5 to 10+ inches of rain, major flooding
  • Strong winds of 40 to 60 mph sustained
  • Wind damage will cause power outages

2 P.M. Storm Details: Hurricane Irene is a Category 2 storm with peak sustained winds of 100 miles per hour. The storm is moving north at 14 mph. The latest satellite images indicate that the storm may be starting to move just east of due north.

Tracking the storm: Irene is quickly approaching the North Carolina coast. Bands of intense rainfall and severe thunderstorms are already slamming into the Carolinas. The storm will make landfall over eastern North Carolina and then hug the mid-Atlantic coast.

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  • The storm is expected to make a second landfall as a weak Category 1 hurricane over central Long Island and then move into Connecticut as a tropical storm.

Saturday: Some outer bands from Irene will cause gusty thunderstorms to move through during the day. It stays warm and muggy with temperatures in the 70s, but the winds will not start picking up until later. If you have any last-minute plans, it would be best to get those done in the morning.

Saturday night: A steadier and heavier rain begins to move in after midnight. Winds also start to pick up and turn gusty. The storm center will see be well to our south, but it is a very large storm.

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Sunday morning: This is when to expect the worst of the weather. Very heavy rainfall and strong thunderstorms will cause widespread flooding. Winds will increase to between 30 to 50 mph with stronger gusts. The worst of the rain occurs to the northwest of the storm center.

Sunday afternoon: The storm center passes right through Connecticut and winds increase to 40 to 60 mph, possibly gusting to hurricane force. The rain then quickly ends as the storm moves to our northeast. Don't be surprised to see a few breaks of sunshine before sunset.

Sunday night: Conditions clear out and dry up. Much cooler air is drawn in behind the departing storm, so temperatures fall back into the 50s overnight. It stays breezy, but even the winds subside toward Monday morning.

What to do to prepare: Be ready for flooding and power outages. The storm will not be severe enough to cause major damage, but the soaking rainfall and winds will cause some trees and power lines to come down. Have non-perishable food items ready in case you lose power. Also move cars and any other expensive items outside away from trees.

  • If you live in a flood-prone area, it would be in your best interest to move to higher ground and stay with friends or family. Due to the heavy rainfall we have already had this month, the additional rainfall will cause major issues.

Comparing to Hurricane Gloria (1985): For those who remember this storm, expect conditions to be very similar. Gloria also moved into Long Island as a Category 1 hurricane and then passed through Connecticut. There were flooding rains and over 500,000 power outages across the state. 

  • If anything, this storm may be slightly worse than Gloria. Irene is a very large hurricane and even though it is weakening, it still has intense rainfall and a large area of strong winds.

Related Topics: Hurricane Irene

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