Hurricane Irene is expected to close to the coast of North Carolina sometime Saturday, but whether there is a direct hit or it becomes a glancing blow is still uncertain.
Forecasters expect the storm to strengthen early Thursday, with sustained winds topping 111 mph, as it passes the Bahamas headed northwest. They expect it will curl north, but the exact path along the North Carolina coast is hard to predict, said Bill Reid, National Hurricane Center director, on Tuesday.
HURRICANE IRENE ADVISORY NUMBER 13
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092011
1100 AM EDT TUE AUG 23 2011
…IRENE APPROACHING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS…
SUMMARY OF 1100 AM EDT…1500 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————–
LOCATION…20.5N 71.0W
ABOUT 70 MI…110 KM S OF GRAND TURK ISLAND
ABOUT 50 MI…85 KM NNW OF PUERTO PLATA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…100 MPH…160 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…WNW OR 295 DEGREES AT 12 MPH…19 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…980 MB…28.94 INCHES
ABOUT 105 MI…170 KM WNW OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO
ABOUT 70 MI…115 KM NE OF PUNTA CANA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…80 MPH…130 KM/H
The government of the Bahamas has issued a hurricane warning for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas.
Summary of watches and warnings in effect…A hurricane warning is in effect for…* North coast of the Dominican Republic from the Haiti border Eastward to Cabo Engano * Southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands
A hurricane watch is in effect for… * North coast of Haiti from le mole St. Nicholas eastward to the Dominican Republic border * central Bahamas
A tropical storm warning is in effect for…* Puerto Rico…Vieques and Culebra * South Coast of the Dominican Republic from South of Cabo Engano Westward to the Haiti Border * all of Haiti
Discussion and 48-Hour Outlook
——————————
At 1100 am…The Center of Hurricane Irene was located near Latitude 19.2 North…Longitude 67.5 West. Irene is moving toward the West-Northwest near 13 Mph…20 Km/H…and this motion is expected to continue during the next 24 To 48 hours. On This Track the Core of Irene should be passing just to the North of Hispaniola later today and early Tuesday and reach the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas late Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 80 Mph…130 Km/H…with higher gusts. Irene is a Category One Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Strengthening is forecast during the next few days.
Hurricane Force Winds Extend Outward Up To 30 Miles…45 Km…from the center…and Tropical Storm Force Winds extend outward up To 185 miles…295 Km to the Northeast of the center.
Minimum Central Pressure Estimated From A Reconnaissance Plane Was 988 Mb…29.18 Inches.
Source: NWS – NOAA
The national hurricane center is issuing advisories on tropical depression eight… Located about 55 miles northwest of Cabo Gracias on the Honduras-Nicaragua border.
1. A large tropical wave located about 900 miles east of the Lesser Antilles is showing signs of organization. Environmental conditions are expected to gradually become more conducive for development as the disturbance approaches the Lesser Antilles on Saturday. This system has a medium chance…40 percent…of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves westward at 20 mph.
2. A broad low pressure system is gradually becoming better defined about midway between the Cape Verde islands and the west coast of Africa. The low is producing a large area of thunderstorms…and upper-level winds are forecast to be conducive for development as it moves west to west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph. This system has a medium chance…50 percent…of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Regardless of development…locally heavy rain and strong gusty winds are possible in the Cape Verde islands today through Saturday.
Elsewhere…tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
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