Hurricane Irene Approaches

Update 8:30 a.m. Wednesday

Hurricane Irene appears to be tracking further east, but it strengthened overnight to a low category three storm, nonetheless a major hurricane.

While there is some uncertainty as to where exactly Irene will go, the storm’s forecast track today shows it could impact the Outer Banks of North Carolina and later affect the Potomac Communities on Sunday.

A slow moving storm, Irene is known for producing heavy rain. 

Hurricane Irene is getting stronger and has her sights set on the Mid-Atlantic coastline.

The National Hurricane Center predicts the center of this rainmaking storm could be somewhere in the Chesapeake Bay by 8 a.m. Sunday. The much talked about cone of uncertainty, an area outside the center of the storm where the Hurricane could strike, includes all of the Potomac Communities.

The storm on Tuesday was just south of the Turks and Caicos Islands with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph.

The projected path of the storm has it making landfall in North Carolina early this weekend, prompting area government officials to take notice.

“Our fire and rescue staff has been monitoring Irene and her path daily and keeping us posted on potential impact…We have an Emergency Operations Plan that we follow that dictates how we respond to an emergency, whether we activate our Emergency Operations Center, open shelters, etc. We are using that plan now to guide us in our response to Irene,” said Stafford County spokeswoman Cathy Riddle. “No matter what the emergency, it’s always a good idea for residents to have an emergency preparedness kit already organized. At the minimum, the kit should include batteries, flashlights, canned food (and a can opener), bottled water, snacks, a first aid kit, a battery-operated radio, and any medical prescriptions.”

If Irene does make landfall, she will be the first Atlantic Hurricane to hit the U.S. since Hurricane Ike slammed into Louisiana in Sept. 2008.