Irene in Bahamas and headed to northeast U.S.

Dale Eck, Director of the Global Forecast Center,
The Weather Channel
Aug 24,  2011 4:54 pm ET

HURRICANE IRENE

- Irene will have significant effects to the Bahamas, eastern North Carolina, and up through the northeast U.S.

- Irene is currently a major category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph moving through the Southeast Bahamas.

- Irene is centered about 215 miles southeast of Nassau and moving NW at 12 mph.

- A hurricane warning is in effect for the Bahamas

- A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

- Irene will now move northwestward through the Bahamas through Thursday.

- Rainfall of 6 to 15 inches is expected throughout the Bahamas.

- A dangerous storm surge could raise water levels by 5 to 8 feet in the southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands and 7 to 11 feet in the central and northwest Bahamas as Irene moves through.

- After departing the Northwest Bahamas Thursday night Irene should parallel the Florida and Georgia coasts Friday and pass off the South Carolina coast Saturday.

- Even though Irene is expected to miss Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to the east, it is a larger-than-average hurricane, so coastal residents will still see some impacts, including gusty winds, showers, dangerous surf and strong rip currents.

- Irene is expected to be a major hurricane have significant impacts to eastern North Carolina Later Friday night and Saturday

- Continuing up the East Coast, Irene is then expected to bring extreme impacts to the eastern portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast with damaging winds, power outages, flooding rains and coastal surge Saturday into Monday.