Hanna Hits Carolinas

(AP) - Tropical Storm Hanna accelerated toward the New England states today after the storm's whipping winds and rain did not linger long enough over the Southeast to cause much more than isolated flooding and power outages. Hanna moved quickly inland after cruising ashore overnight with winds of around 50 mph. But as Hanna cleared out, eyes turned to Hurricane Ike—a Category 3 storm with winds of nearly 115 mph that was expected to strengthen as it approached Cuba and southern Florida by Monday. More»

It carries new sand to the area, which helps prevent it from eroding

(NEWSER) - It's counterintuitive, but it's true, says a Duke University geology professor. Hurricane Irene "is just what" the Outer Banks need. In a conversation with the Los Angeles Times , Orrin Pilkey acknowledges the many, many downsides of the storm: "We are going to see an awful lot of buildings destroyed and an awful lot of buildings damaged." Wildlife will drown. Salt carried by the waves will kill vegetation. And yet, this kind of storm is what allows these islands to survive. More»

Its winds have slowed slightly, but its bite hasn't faded, say experts

(NEWSER) - The good news: Hurricane Irene's power faded slightly overnight, with the National Hurricane Center reporting that the storm's top sustained winds have slipped from 100mph to 90mph. The bad news: "The hazards are still the same," according to an NHC hurricane specialist. "The emphasis for this storm is on its size and duration, not necessarily how strong the strongest winds are." And those strong winds have officially hit North Carolina, reports the AP . More»

Storm expected to wallop southeast tomorrow

(NEWSER) - Frightened North Carolinians fleeing Irene are jamming highways as the East Coast steels for what could be the biggest hurricane in decades. At least seven states have now declared a state of emergency, and hundreds of flights are being canceled. Gas stations are running out of fuel and ATMs have been emptied of cash as Americans hit the road for a bumper-to-bumper trip out of Irene's angry path. The Category 3 storm is expected to hit the Southeast sometime tomorrow, and hundreds of thousands of residents have been ordered out of their homes in three North Carolina counties. Norfolk, Va., is also ordering residents to evacuate , and Washington, DC, has been forced to postpone Sunday's planned MLK Memorial dedication . More»

Landfall expected on East Coast this weekend

(NEWSER) - Tourists started evacuating the North Carolina border island of Ocracoke today, as Hurricane Irene strengthened to a Category 3 storm and headed toward the East Coast. A local tells the AP evacuations are going smoothly so far. Year-round residents were ordered to begin evacuating tomorrow . Irene’s winds neared 120mph this afternoon, and the hurricane is expected to get stronger tomorrow, possibly reaching Category 4 with winds of 131mph or more. US cities as far north as Rhode Island and Massachusetts are preparing for the storm; officials have warned of possible flooding, power outages, and worse as far north as Maine. More»