5:00AM EDT 25 August 2011 Update
Irene Remains a category 3 hurricane, and tropical storm and hurricane watches are now posted for South Carolina and North Carolina, respectively.

8:30AM EDT 24 August 2011 Update
Irene is now a category 3 major hurricane with sustained winds of 115Mph after the two recon planes flying in Irene found it intensifying once again.

The track thinking is similar to earlier, with Irene stair-stepping west northwest to northwest during the day.

Original Update
Hurricane Irene strengthened overnight and is one again a category 2 hurricane, with 110MPH Winds and 962 pressure. It is expected to become a category 3 over the Bahamas today. An eye become visible overnight, which
will help with determining direction (short term wobbles should not be taken into account unless they persist over a few hours)

The official forecast track has shifted slightly eastward, but still clips the outer banks of North Carolina, and approaches Eastern Long Island Late Sunday Early Monday morning. Today is a very important day as Irene's motions will determine the probabilities for landfall of where it eventually goes to. So far the trends have been to the east offshore of the outer banks.

Hurricane warnings remain up for the entire Bahamas island chain.

Irene's closest approach to Florida will likely be just over 200 miles to the east, which is far enough away for very little affect on Florida other than rough surf and beach erosion. For east central Florda."beach and boating conditions will be treacherous, with dangerous pounding surf and breaking waves of 8-10 feet or higher. Seas are expected to build to 20-25 feet over the open Atlantic. Tropical Storm Watches or Warnings are now in effect for all of the East Central Florida coastal waters (but not land areas). Windy conditions and squalls associated with the outer bands of Irene can be expected to affect East Central Florida starting Thursday."

Still it is important for those in the southeast to check back in on Irene while it is such a large storm for any changes, but trends still favor a trend further out east than west. Official track updates come at 11AM, 5PM, 11PM, and 5AM eastern time.

In the far east Atlantic, 90L is being watched, odds highly favor a recurve before the US, but Bermuda may have to watch down the road. This has a 50% chance to develop into a tropical depression within the next two days.

East of the Caribbean near the "tail" of Irene is another system that has sprung up that may need watching.

See the Forecast Lounge for more speculation on Irene.

Event Links

Flhurricane Disaster and preparatory information thread.

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We are now recording the Rocky Bay webcam at Abaco Island in the Bahamas -- note these images are large.

Hope Town Fire rescue on Abaco Island, storm information

Updated Map of Mark Sudduth from HurricaneTrack.com, with video and radar for Irene approach See HurricaneTrack.com for more information.

RGB satellite recording of Irene.

Long Term Long Range US Radar of Irene

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Long term Central Atlantic wide area Water Vapor Satellite for Hurricane Season Peak flhurricane)

Long term West Atlantic wide area Water Vapor Satellite for Hurricane Season Peak flhurricane)