Northeast Residents Facing Close Call With Irene
More of the Northeast will be subject to flooding rain and damaging winds if Irene tracks west of Interstate 95. Isolated tornadoes are also a concern east of its center.
Destructive winds would spread northward into New England if Irene hugs the coastline...While Irene continues to aim for the Carolinas this weekend, residents of the Northeast should keep an eye on the storm as it could spread heavy rains and high winds into some locations by the weekend.
The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center has pinpointed Irene's landfall to occur in the Carolinas between Wilmington and Cape Hatteras.
Destructive winds, torrential rain, a flooding storm surge and isolated tornadoes will accompany Irene as the future major hurricane moves inland.
The current statistics of Irene, including its strength and position, can be found at the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center.
After landfall, Irene should continue its track northward into the Northeast.
Flooding rainfall would remain a serious threat and danger to residents on such a path, partially because the ground is saturated thanks to heavy rainfall the last few weeks
Rainfall amounts will depend on the track and the speed of the system. Irene is currently forecast to increase its forward speed this weekend as it tracks up the East Coast. This is good news for the Northeast as they will be spared of a long-duration rain event. Even so, areas near and to the east of the center of Irene will have the potential to receive several inches of rainfall in a short time period.
Widespread flash flooding would result in either case, threatening to cause a repeat of the recent deadly flooding incident in Pittsburgh.
"Four inches of quick-hitting rain on top of the saturated ground in parts of the Northeast can lead to disaster," adds Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
By tracking into the Carolinas as a major hurricane instead of targeting Florida, Irene will be able to maintain its damaging wind threat into the Northeast.
The exact track of Irene through the Northeast will determine the severity of these winds.
Destructive winds would spread northward into New England if Irene hugs the coastline. A path farther inland would lessen Irene's winds some, but not to the point where widespread tree and power line damage could be averted.
It's also possible that Irene takes a track just off the east coast, perhaps making a landfall in southeastern New England Sunday night. A scenario like this would spare the major I-95 cities from devastating effects being that they would lie on the west side of the storm.
In any scenario, the winds pose an added danger by drawing ocean water onshore and triggering coastal flooding.
All residents across the Northeast should monitor the progress of Irene as the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center pinpoints exactly where the heaviest rain and strong winds will track.
Meteorologist Brian Edwards contributed to the content of this story.
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WeatherWhys®
People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.
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