A hurricane warning is in effect from Little River inlet North Carolina northward to Sandy Hook, New
Jersey including the Pamlico, Albemarle and Currituck
sounds, Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point.
Hurricane Irene’s Impacts on East Coast Cities
By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist, Accuweather.com
**A state of emergency is in effect for New Jersey and New York.**
**Mandatory evacuations have begun on the barrier islands of New Jersey from Ocean City southward to the Wildwoods, as well as Cape May.**
**Officials in Nassau County Long Island have implemented the coastal storm plan and are calling on residents of the barrier islands including Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, Lido Beach and Point Lookout to begin preparation for a possible evacuation of their communities.**
Next, Irene will pass close to or over the Delmarva Peninsula and New Jersey, then move on to the New York City area and interior New England. The northern portion of this track is farther west and a bit slower than forecast earlier this week, and will result in more serious problems with heavy rain and damaging wind gusts farther west in New England and the northern mid-Atlantic.
Areas near and west of the center of Irene will have dangerous conditions related to flash and urban flooding. The flooding may be intensified in areas that have received torrential rainfall recently this month, such as coastal areas of the Northeast.
Areas near and east of the center of Irene will experience the strongest winds and related damage.
There is potential for a foot of rain along Irene’s path, which can lead to life-threatening flooding.
Here is what we expect in various cities along the Atlantic Seaboard:
Philadelphia, Pa. / Wilmington, Del.
The eyewall of Irene will pass to the east along the New Jersey and Delaware coasts Sunday. However, heavy rain (4 to 8 inches) can lead to flash and urban flooding, and strong tropical storm to minimal hurricane-force wind gusts (75 mph) will cause downed trees and power outages during Saturday night and Sunday. Conditions will be much worse in New Jersey and central/southern Delaware.
Sandy Hook to Cape May, N.J.
The eyewall of Irene will pass close by Sunday, with full hurricane effects expected. Weather conditions will deteriorate Saturday into Saturday night with wind and rain increasing. Periods of heavy rain (5 to 10 inches), damaging hurricane-force winds (80-100 mph) and serious coastal and back bay flooding will occur Saturday night and Sunday. Expect significant beach erosion with a storm surge averaging 2 to 4 feet, but locally it can be higher. Waves will top seawalls late Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Bulletin
Hurricane Irene advisory number 24
NWS National Hurricane Center, Miami, Fla
5 a.m. EDT Fri. Aug. 26, 2011
Irene slightly weaker, warnings and watches extended northward
along the U..S. east coast…
Location…29.3n 77.2w
About 420 miles SSW of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
Maximum sustained winds…110 mph
Present movement…N at 14 mph.
Minimum central pressure…942 MB or.27.82 inches
Watches and warnings
The hurricane watch from the North Carolina/Virginia border to Sandy
Hook, New Jersey including Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay south
of Smith Point is changed to a hurricane warning.
The tropical storm watch for Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point
northward and the tidal Potomac is changed to a tropical storm
warning.
A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible
within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours
before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force
winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or
dangerous.
Irene is moving toward the north near 14 mph. This motion is
expected to continue during the next 24 hours. A gradual turn toward
the north-northeast should begin thereafter. On the forecast
track, the core of the hurricane will pass well off the coast of
northeastern Florida today, approach the coast of North Carolina
tonight and pass near or over the North Carolina coast Saturday.
Irene is a large tropical cyclone. Hurricane force winds extend
outward up to 90 miles from the center. Tropical
storm force winds extend outward up to 290 miles…
Storm surge will raise water levels by as
much as 3 to 6 feet above ground level along the Jersey shore
near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large…
destructive and life-threatening waves.
