| HURRICANE IRENE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
MDZ006-007-011-014-017-018-271045-
/O.CON.KLWX.TR.W.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-ANNE ARUNDEL-
ST. MARYS-CALVERT-
632 AM EDT FRI AUG 26 2011
...NEW INFORMATION...
TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS IN EFFECT.
.AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS LOCAL STATEMENT PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR PEOPLE AND MARINE INTERESTS IN SELECT
LOCATIONS AND COASTAL WATER LEGS OF BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON
METROPOLITAN AREA...SOUTHERN MARYLAND...AND THE MARYLAND PORTION
OF THE CHESAPEAKE AND TIDAL POTOMAC.
.WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...NORTHERN BALTIMORE...HARFORD...
MONTGOMERY...HOWARD...SOUTHERN BALTIMORE...PRINCE GEORGES...ANNE
ARUNDEL...CHARLES...ST. MARYS...CALVERT...PRINCE
WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK...FAIRFAX...ARLINGTON/FALLS
CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA...STAFFORD...SPOTSYLVANIA AND KING GEORGE.
FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR
ALL OF MARYLAND PORTION OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND THE TIDAL
POTOMAC RIVER.
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND.
PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY FOR ANY FLOOD WARNINGS THAT MIGHT BE IN
EFFECT FOR YOUR AREA.
.STORM INFORMATION...
AT 6 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRENE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 29.3N...LONGITUDE 77.2W. THIS WAS ABOUT 660 MILES SOUTH
OF WASHINGTON DC...OR ABOUT 690 MILES SOUTH OF BALTIMORE MD.
STORM MOTION WAS N OR 360 DEGREES AT 14 MPH. STORM INTENSITY WAS
110 MPH.
...PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE CONDITIONS...
THE CHANCE FOR HURRICANE CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME IS VERY SMALL.
ALSO...THE CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME IS
UP TO 70 PERCENT. THIS REPRESENTS A GENERAL STEADY TREND SINCE THE
LAST FORECAST. THE ONSET OF TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS COULD START
AS EARLY AS SATURDAY EVENING.
...WINDS...
AS HURRICANE IRENE APPROACHES...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON. MAXIMUM
WINDS ARE FORECAST TO BE IN THE 35 TO 45 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS TO
50 MPH.
MINOR TO MODERATE DAMAGE IS LIKELY TO MANY MOBILE HOMES...
ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE CANOPIES...AWNINGS...OR CARPORTS.
POORLY CONSTRUCTED HOMES MAY SUSTAIN MINOR WALL DAMAGE AND PARTIAL
ROOF REMOVAL. OTHER HOMES MAY HAVE MINOR ROOF AND SIDING DAMAGE.
SOME LOOSE OUTDOOR ITEMS WILL BE TOSSED AROUND AND MAY CAUSE
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE. A FEW POWER LINES WILL BE KNOCKED DOWN
RESULTING IN SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES. SOME LARGE BRANCHES OF
HEALTHY TREES WILL BE SNAPPED. MOST NEWLY PLANTED TREES AND SHRUBS
WILL BE DAMAGED OR UPROOTED.
...INLAND FLOODING...
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. SEE LATEST
FORECAST FOR LATEST INFORMATION. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD
WARNINGS FOR YOUR LOCATION...AND BE READY TO ACT IF FLOODING
RAINS OCCUR.
...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
THE IMPACT FROM COMBINED STORM SURGE AND TIDE WATERS IS EXPECTED
TO BE MINIMAL.
A STORM SURGE OF 2 TO 3 FEET IS EXPECTED SATURDAY AND SATURDAY
NIGHT. THIS COULD RESULT IN MINOR COASTAL FLOODING AT THE TIME OF
HIGH TIDE.
.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FOR THOSE UNDER A WARNING...NOW IS THE TIME TO RUSH TO COMPLETION
PREPARATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. EVACUATE IF
DIRECTED TO DO SO BY LOCAL OFFICIALS...OR IF YOUR HOME IS
VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS OR FLOODING.
FOR INTERESTS AT PORTS...DOCKS...AND MARINAS...URGENTLY COMPLETE
PRESCRIBED PREPARATIONS ACCORDING TO YOUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
PLAN FOR TROPICAL CYCLONES. IF YOU LIVE ON A BOAT...MAKE FINAL
PREPARATIONS FOR SECURING YOUR CRAFT BEFORE LEAVING IT. BE SURE
TO ACCOUNT FOR THE POSSIBLE CLOSURE OF BRIDGES AND CAUSEWAYS.
REGARDING ANY COASTAL WATERS UNDER A WARNING...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD
REMAIN IN PORT AND WELL SECURED.
____________________________________________________________________________________
08/25/2011: Hurricane Irene, a large, powerful Category 3 hurricane, with winds of 115 mph, continues to plow through the Bahamas, with more impacts in its sights. As seen in the projected path map below, Hurricane Irene will be a dangerous hurricane as it tracks towards the East Coast this weekend.
As of Thursday morning, Irene is centered about 670 miles south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and moving NW at 13 mph. The first tropical storm and hurricane watches have been posted for the U.S., along the coasts of South and North Carolina.
Irene has the potential to be a serious and multi-hazard threat for the major metropolitan areas of the Northeast along and east of the I-95 corridor. This includes Philadelphia, New York City, Hartford, and Boston. This hurricane has the potential to produce flooding rains, high winds, downed trees (on houses, cars, power lines) and widespread power outages. Significant impacts along the immediate coast include high waves, surge and beach erosion. The severity of the impacts will be determined by Irene's exact path and intensity, which remain uncertain at this time.
Irene will make its closest approach to the Carolinas late Friday night through Saturday. Northeast U.S. impacts would be this weekend into early Monday of next week.
Ridge VRS will update this story as conditions change.
For tips on preparing for the storm, read our online story:
http://www.ridgevrs.org/index.cfm?fs=news.newsView&News_ID=63
Photos courtesy of The Weather Channel |
