BBC: Authorities on the east coast of the US, from North Carolina to New York City, are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Irene this weekend. The first hurricane of the Atlantic season is a category three storm, packing winds of 115mph (185km/h), and expected to get stronger.
The US Navy is moving more than 60 of its ships out to sea, to protect them and their port from high waves. Irene, currently over the Bahamas, has already caused havoc in the Caribbean.
At 11:00 EDT (12:00 GMT) on Thursday, Irene was 75 miles north north-east of Nassau, the Bahamian capital and moving north north-west at 13mph, the US National Hurricane Center said. The hurricane is now 580 miles wide and growing larger; it is expected to reach category four as it barrels towards the US.
Already, US authorities are warning of dangerous storm-surge seas, high waves and rip-tide currents along the south-eastern coast. The US Navy ordered its Second Fleet to leave Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia on Thursday morning. "The forecasted destructive winds and tidal surge is too great to keep the ships in port," said Vice-Adm Daniel Holloway, the fleet's commander....
Hurricane Irene on August 24, 2011, with winds just below major hurricane status and a eye wall developing., from the NOAA-NASA GOES Project
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