Dangerous Category 2 Hurricane Irene is blasting the northern coast of the Dominican Republic this morning, likely taking direct aim at the Turks and Caicos and southeast Bahamas later today and tonight, possibly as a major Category 3 hurricane. All of the U.S. Southeast Coast from Florida to the Outer Banks should be on high alert for Irene.
Click
here for the latest satellite image of Irene.
As of 8 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Irene 20.6 N and 70.6 W, or 70 miles south-southeast of Grand Turk Island, and 55 miles east of Puerto Plata, the Dominican Republic. This places it about 700 miles east-southeast of Miami or 1,050 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C. Maximum sustained winds remain at 100 mph, making it a Category Two Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. It is motoring to the west-northwest at 10 mph. Irene`s minimum central pressure remains steady at 978 mb, or 28.88 inches of mercury.
WeatherBug Meteorologist Todd Nelson has the latest on today's weather and Irene in this exclusive
WeatherBug National Outlook Video.
Irene will continue its steady west-northwest course, staying just north of Haiti and the Dominican Republic this morning, passing over the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeast Bahamas tonight, possibly as a major hurricane with winds of 111 to 130 mph and the central Bahamas early Wednesday. It will continue northwest as a major hurricane and make a beeline for the Carolina Coast this weekend. Tropical storm force winds extend 200 miles from Irene`s center of circulation, so these gusts will likely be felt along Florida`s East Coast later this week, even if it the Sunshine State does not receive a direct hit.
Tropical Storm and Hurricane Watches will likely be posted for the U.S. coast today or early Wednesday. Residents living along the Southwest and Carolina coast should follow local emergency official instructions; this is developing into a major situation. Coastal evacuations will likely be ordered over the next 24 to 48 hours. Now is the best time to make preparations and consider your evacuation route. Click
here to find out more details on preparing ahead of time before Irene strikes.
A
Hurricane Warning continues for the north coast of the Dominican Republic from the Haiti border to Cabo Engano, and also for the southeastern and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos. A
Hurricane Watch is in effect for the north coast of Haiti from Le Mole St. Nicholas to the Dominican Republic border and the northwestern Bahamas.
Tropical Storm Warnings continue for the south coast of the Dominican Republic as well as all of Haiti.
Irene will inundate northern Hispaniola with 3 to 6 inches of rain, with isolated amounts up to 10 inches likely along the hillier terrain. Across the southeastern Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, 5 to 10 inches of rain will be possible, creating life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. Storm surge will increase water levels as much as 13 feet above normal in the Southeastern and Central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands and up to 4 feet above normal along the Dominican Republic Coast.
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