Local Severe Weather Alert for location

Irene heading to North Carolina first

- Hurricane Irene poses an extraordinary threat and is one that no one has yet experienced from the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast to New England.- Hurricane Irene is a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.- As of 11 p.m. Eastern Time Friday, the center of Hurricane Irene is located about 195 miles south-southwest of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, or about 140 miles south of Cape Lookout, North Carolina, has winds near 100 miles per hour, and was moving to the north at 13 miles per hour.- Irene's outer bands are bringing rain and thunderstorms to eastern sections of North and South Carolina already, and will continue to move northward into eastern Virginia through early Saturday morning.- Hurricane conditions likely in eastern North Carolina through Saturday afternoon, tapering off from south to north as the day progresses (and the low moves northward) Saturday.- The center of Irene is expected to make landfall as a category 1 hurricane early Saturday morning in eastern North Carolina, most likely near or just east of Morehead City, but tropical storm conditions are possible as far inland as I-95 in North Carolina, with hurricane conditions possible as far as 40 miles from the coast.- Hurricane conditions are expected for much of Saturday along the Outer Banks, with parts of Highway 12 likely to be washed out from storm surge and waves on top of that surge.- In general, a storm surge (rise in water level) between 6 to 11 feet above normal high tides are possible along the North Carolina Coast, including the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, with higher waves on top of that surge.- Rain and wind will begin to pick up in eastern Virginia, then up into Maryland, Delaware, and southern New Jersey Saturday.- Hurricane conditions possible along the coast, with tropical storm conditions possible as far inland as I-95.- Hurricane conditions are likely on Saturday night for the Delmarva Peninsula, New Jersey, and even extreme southeastern Pennsylvania Saturday night.- Inland sections from Baltimore and the Washington, D.C. area to eastern Pennsylvania can expect tropical storm conditions and heavy rain.- The New York metropolitan area will experience the worst conditions later Saturday night and Sunday with hurricane conditions possible along with destructive wind, heavy flooding rain, and storm surge with coastal flooding.- Tropical storm conditions expected western New Jersey and the upstate of New York up the Hudson River Valley.- Irene is expected to make its final landfalls on Sunday along the coast of Long Island and Southern New England as a category 1 hurricane.- Irene will race through New England Sunday and Sunday night, and could still bring some hurricane conditions, mainly to the Southern New England Coast.- Conditions in the Mid-Atlantic, northward through southeast New York, New Jersey, and New England are expected to be unlike what many have experienced in these areas with extreme gusty winds, flooding rains, and coastal flooding.- Flooding and wind-related damage (including downed trees, limbs, power lines, power outages, roof, window, and siding damage) can be expected from North Carolina to New England by the time Irene moves away on Monday.- A storm surge (rise in water level) between 4 to 8 feet above normal high tide can be expected from the North Carolina/Virginia border northward to Cape Cod, with high waves on top of that surge.- Hurricane warnings are in effect from Little River Inlet (near the North Carolina/South Carolina border) all the way up to Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, including New York City, Long Island, Long Island Sound, Albemarle, Pamlico, and Currituck Sounds, Delaware Bay, and Chesapeake Bay south of Drum Point.- A tropical storm warnings are in effect from north of Edisto Beach, South Carolina, to Little River Inlet (near the North Carolina/South Carolina border), and from north of Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, to the Merrimack River (near the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border).- A tropical storm watch is in effect for Merrimack River, Massachusetts (near the border with New Hampshire), to Eastport, Maine.- Stay tuned to The Weather Channel and log onto weather.com for the latest information.


Chuck Bezio
www.cbezio.com