As of 5:00 a.m. E.D.T. on August 24, 2011, the National Weather Service National Hurricane Center predicts that Hurricane Irene will miss Florida completely. As a result, Hurricane Irene will not weaken as previously expected, but instead gain even more strength over the warm waters of the open Atlantic Ocean, reaching Category 4 Status.
Irene will remain at major hurricane strength as it runs parallel to the U.S. Southeast Coast beginning around 12:00 a.m. this coming Friday. Irene is then predicted to move up the Atlantic seaboard from 12:00 a.m. this coming Friday through 2:00 a.m. Monday.
Hurricane Irene is now predicted to make land fall near the Connecticut / Massachusetts border at 2:00 a.m. this coming Monday.
The path has moved substantially since the last several NOAA updates.