![]() The heaviest rain fell across Brunswick County, New Hanover County, and Pender County. The following is a list of selected rainfall reports from the Wilmington County Warning Area during the passage of Hurricane IreneĪs Irene brushed the Cape Fear region, heavy rain impacted the coastal and northeast portions of the Wilmington County Warning Area. Map of wind swath from Hurricane Irene from the National Hurricane Center Fortunately, none of the area experienced hurricane force winds from Irene, but widespread tropical storm force winds brought down many limbs and trees through southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina. This put the Cape Fear region on the fringe of the hurricane force wind radius. Hurricane Irene was a very large hurricane, with hurricane force winds (64 kt) extending 80 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds (34 kt) occurring another 220 miles beyond that. The following is a list maximum wind gusts reported across the Wilmington County Warning Area during the passage of Hurricane Irene Although the category 1 hurricane still caused considerable damage from Cape Fear to the Outer Banks, it could have been much worse across eastern North Carolina. As Irene continued up the coastline, she ingested a significant amount of dry air as evidenced by the change in structure and "dry slot" that is seen wrapping almost entirely around her core in the second image.įortunately, this dry air was enough to keep Irene from restrengthening over what was otherwise a favorable environment. This dry air was pushing east in response to a strengthening ridge of high pressure. Irene is obvious off the southeast coast, but notice the very dry air across much of the eastern United States. Note the dry air (dry slot) wrapping almost entirely around Irene's core. Note the very dry air just west of Hurricane Irene The two images below are water vapor satellite images at 26/1900 UTC and 26/2200 UTC respectively. However, with surface pressures in the eye of Irene only around 950 mb, the potential for a stronger hurricane remained possible, even as Irene continually weakened off the southeast coast.Īnalysis of water vapor imagery during the day leading up to NC landfall helps explain why Irene weakened so drastically as she approached land. Much of the guidance several days out was predicting the potential for Irene to be a strong category 2 or even a category 3 hurricane at NC landfall. This spared the Cape Fear region from the worst impacts since the right front quadrant remained well east of that area.Īlthough the track was forecast very accurately, Irene's intensity forecast was a bit overdone. Although this was several days out, this track turned out to be quite accurate and on the morning of the 27th Irene made landfall as a category 1 hurricane near Cape Lookout, NC. Irene then began to turn to the northwest and became a category 3 hurricane during the time she impacted the Bahamas.īy this time, the National Hurricane Center was predicting a track that took Irene into the outer banks of North Carolina, just east of Cape Fear. Shortly thereafter as she moved west, Irene became the first hurricane of the 2011 season.Īs the hurricane moved west she intensified and brushed the north coast of Hispaniola. Hurricane Irene formed from a tropical wave near the Cape Verde Islands west of Africa, and became a named tropical system on August 20th. Satellite Loop of Hurricane Irene approaching the southeast United States WILMINGTON, NC - During the overnight hours of August 26th into August 27th, category 1 Hurricane Irene brushed the Cape Fear region on its path to landfall at Cape Lookout, NC. Hurricane Irene Impacts Eastern North Carolina
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