Hurricane “Irene” has once again intensified into a dangerous Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds reaching 140 miles per hour, as it traverses the western Atlantic, prompting alerts for maritime traffic and coastal communities.
According to the latest advisory issued by the U.S. National Hurricane Center on Monday, August 18, the hurricane is located approximately 110 miles north of Grand Turk Island and about 880 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The system is currently moving west-northwest at 10 miles per hour and is expected to turn northwest later, shifting to a northward trajectory by Tuesday.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center stated in its advisory: “On the current forecast track, the center of Hurricane ‘Irene’ is expected to pass east of the southeastern Bahamas and move between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast by midweek.” The hurricane’s expanding wind field poses a significant threat to maritime operations across the western Atlantic. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 230 miles.
Data from confirms that vessels have altered their routes to avoid the storm’s path, and coastal areas in the U.S. are preparing for hazardous conditions even if the storm does not make direct landfall. The storm’s central pressure has dropped to 935 millibars, indicating its continued intensification.
Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas, with the watch area now expanded to include the central Bahamas.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center specifically warned mariners: “Over the coming days, swells generated by Hurricane ‘Irene’ will affect the Bahamas, Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast, and Atlantic Canada. These hazardous sea conditions could produce life-threatening surf and rip currents.”
Shipping industry professionals should note that Hurricane “Irene” rapidly intensified over the weekend, briefly reaching Category 5 strength with winds of 160 miles per hour before weakening slightly. Forecasters predict the system “will remain a dangerous and large hurricane through midweek.”
The National Hurricane Center also cautioned that standard wind probability products may underestimate the actual risk beyond 36 hours, “as the forecast wind field for Hurricane ‘Irene’ is much larger than the wind fields used to derive wind speed probabilities.”
Residents of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and Bermuda should closely monitor the hurricane’s progress, as tropical storm conditions and coastal flooding may begin affecting the North Carolina coast by late Wednesday.
Compiled and edited by Shipping Online.
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