Irene Makes Landfall

Hurricane Irene made landfall this morning near Cape Lookout, N.C. at 7:30 AM EDT with winds of 85 mph, a category one hurricane, according to the 8 AM advisory from the NHC. The landfall occurred 10-15 miles to the east of were I thought it would be, but it is a little weaker than I expected. I believe the dry air intrusion Friday afternoon and night was mostly to blame for the decrease in intensity. The current intensity, as of 11 AM EDT, is still at 85 mph with a central pressure of 952 mb. The pressure is still hanging around the 950s.

Irene is still expect to make a north-northeast trek and start accelerating in forward speed. It could maintain weak hurricane status until it reenters the Atlantic and move along the New England coastline. The threat remains of some storm surge, especially during high tide, but it shouldn't be as bad as expected. Wind is still a threat, especially in cities with large buildings in close proximity ("wind tunnel" effect could make the winds higher than normal). Inland flooding is also a high risk, especially along rivers and low-lying areas.

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