Hurricane Irene

[beanboy89]

Well-defined eye as seen from Miami's 88D:

[toxictwister00]

Anybody know the max size of Katrina when it was in the Gulf? I know Irene has exceeded Ike in size and I'm pretty sure it will exceed Katrina as well if it hasn't already. As it continues to get better, it continues to grow.

[WeatherWitness]

Whoa, Irene, looks like your track has shifted west a little! Looking at TWC's Hurricane Tracker, Irene may now make TWO landfalls: one on the Outer Banks of NC and one in Ocean City, NJ.

Also, to respond to your question Tavores, I thought Ike was bigger in size than Katrina, which means that Irene is bigger than Katrina.

[toxictwister00]

Whoa, Irene, looks like your track has shifted west a little! Looking at TWC's Hurricane Tracker, Irene may now make TWO landfalls: one on the Outer Banks of NC and one in Ocean City, NJ.

Also, to respond to your question Tavores, I thought Ike was bigger in size than Katrina, which means that Irene is bigger than Katrina.

Ah, maybe so. I knew Ike and Katrina were close. Irene might end up bigger than both of them.

Palm Beach, FL  VERY Angry Waves
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/florida/palmbeach/

[Zach]

Irene seems to be lowering the barometric pressure here... its down to 29.76 inches

[Lightning]

Irene seems to be lowering the barometric pressure here... its down to 29.76 inches

I know what you mean. I am in SW FL south of Fort Myers and north of Naples to visit my grandparents and it's quite blustery here, but, hey, I'll take that over getting hit by the hurricane. I've also noticed a lack of lightning with the dark clouds I have seen today. I don't like that very much.

[gt1racerlHDl]

5:00 PM EDT Thu Aug 25
Location: 27.0°N 77.3°W
Max sustained: 115 mph
Moving: NNW at 14 mph
Min pressure: 950 mb

[toxictwister00]

Hurricane Watches now in effect for VA to Sandy Hook, NJ.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCVAT4+shtml/252050.shtml?

[Localonthe8s]

Whoa, Irene, looks like your track has shifted west a little! Looking at TWC's Hurricane Tracker, Irene may now make TWO landfalls: one on the Outer Banks of NC and one in Ocean City, NJ.

Also, to respond to your question Tavores, I thought Ike was bigger in size than Katrina, which means that Irene is bigger than Katrina.

Ocean City is only 5 miles to my south. I might have to evacuate because they're discussing possible mandatory evacuations for those living in Atlantic County

[Localonthe8s]

5 pm advisory:

HURRICANE IRENE ADVISORY NUMBER  22
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL       AL092011
500 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2011

...IRENE STILL BATTERING ABACO ISLAND...NEW WATCHES AND WARNINGS
ISSUED FOR THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES...


SUMMARY OF 500 PM EDT...2100 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...27.0N 77.3W
ABOUT 575 MI...930 KM S OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH...185 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNW OR 335 DEGREES AT 14 MPH...22 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...950 MB...28.05 INCHES

[WeatherWitness]

So how many landfalls can hurricanes truly make?

If we zoom in very closely on the Hurricane Tracker (which I know isn't 100% accurate), it looks like Irene's center will first strike NC, then pass over many bays (don't know if those count as clearing land or not), brush the coast of Virginia, go back out into the Atlantic or maybe just the Chesapeake Bay, then brush the coast of NJ before passing over the Delaware Bay and striking New York.

BTW, the track has once again shifted slighty west. Ocean City and Atlantic City are now to the EAST of the center.

[Eric]

So how many landfalls can hurricanes truly make?

Technically, it's unlimited.  It all depends on its movement, the geography of the land the hurricane passes by, and how long the hurricane can maintain its strength.

[beanboy89]

The diameter of Irene's cloud deck is nearly 800 miles. It's a huge storm.

[gt1racerlHDl]

8:00 PM EDT Thu Aug 25
Location: 27.7°N 77.4°W
Max sustained: 115 mph
Moving: NNW at 14 mph
Min pressure: 946 mb

Rip Current Statement out for SE Mass

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
503 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2011

...HIGH RISK OF STRONG RIP CURRENTS AND ROUGH SURF...

.THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY SOUTH WINDS THURSDAY AND THE FIRST SET
OF SWELLS FROM HURRICANE IRENE HAVE INCREASED THE RISK FOR STRONG
RIP CURRENTS AND ROUGH SURF AT SOUTH FACING OCEAN BEACHES OF RHODE
ISLAND AND SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS. THE RISK OF STRONG RIP CURRENTS
AND ROUGH SURF WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY AND WILL LIKELY INCREASE
FURTHER SATURDAY AND ESPECIALLY SUNDAY. THIS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN
SWIMMING RESTRICTIONS AND BEACH CLOSURES BY SUNDAY. HEED THE ADVICE OF
LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED
SIGNS. RIP CURRENTS CAN BECOME LIFE THREATENING TO ANYONE WHO
ENTERS THE SURF.

MAZ020-022>024-RIZ006>008-260515-
/O.NEW.KBOX.RP.S.0002.110825T2103Z-110826T1000Z/
SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA-BARNSTABLE MA-DUKES MA-NANTUCKET MA-
WASHINGTON RI-NEWPORT RI-BLOCK ISLAND RI-
503 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2011

...RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

* LOCATION...SOUTH FACING OCEAN BEACHES OF RI AND SOUTHEAST MA.

* RIP CURRENT RISK...MODERATE TO HIGH.

* SURF HEIGHT...3 TO 5 FT WITH A FEW BREAKERS UP TO 7 FT.

* TIMING AND TIDES...BEGINNING THURSDAY AND BECOMING MORE
  DANGEROUS INTO THE WEEKEND.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING AWAY FROM
SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS JETTIES AND
PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY
ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS. RIP CURRENTS CAN BECOME LIFE
THREATENING TO ANYONE WHO ENTERS THE SURF.

PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE (USE LOWERCASE LETTERS) TO
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NEW RIP CURRENT HAZARD

http://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SURVEY/NWS-SURVEY.PHP?CODE=RCVTECCHM

[Eric]

About an hour ago Daytona Beach got slammed by one of Irene's outermost bands.  It got dark practically in an instant, it started pouring, and the wind got strong enough to make the rain virtually horizontal.  And after about half an hour it was all over.  The clouds look so beautiful, though.