Hurricane Irene's Latest Track Brushes Near Ocean City

A powerful hurricane is on a collision course with the Outer Banks of North Carolina and is expected to continue on a path less than 100 miles from Ocean City.

On Wednesday morning (Aug. 24), Hurricane Irene is a Category 3 (sustained winds of 111 to 130 mph) hurricane just north of Cuba. The National Hurricane Center predicts a track that will slam the Bahamas tonight and reach the North Carolina coast Saturday afternoon or evening.

After moving directly over North Carolina's Outer Banks, the storm is expected to move back out over the Atlantic Ocean until it hits land again -- likely on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. With the storm still three or four days away, the exact track is uncertain. But the latest National Hurricane Center models show it passing within 100 miles of Ocean City on Sunday.

As of Wednesday morning, hurricane force winds of 115 mph extended 40 miles from the center of the hurricane and tropical force winds (39 to 73 mph) reached 205 miles.

Emergency planners in Ocean City and Cape May County are meeting at 1 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the latest hurricane reports and potential plans of action.

Frank Donato, Ocean City's emergency management coordinator, said Wednesday morning that it's too premature to consider any sort of evacuation plan. But he asked that the public be prepared for a storm that could possibly cause power outages and flooding that could leave motorists stranded for an extended period.

Donato said the storm will pass Ocean City during a new moon tide that peaks at 8:30 p.m. Sunday on the bay side of Ocean City. The exceptionally high tide would add to flooding caused by potentially heavy rain (if the storm comes close enough) and strong onshore winds.

Donato said the city will consider sending a public service message via its "reverse 911" system and public access television to make the public aware of the storm's potential.

Ocean City Beach Patrol Director of Operations Tom Mullineaux said Wednesday that crews are starting to move lifeguard boats off the beaches to be stored at the patrol's boathouse at 46th Street and West Avenue.

Several boats were damaged beyond repair by powerful winds from a severe thunderstorm in July, and Mullineaux said the patrol wouldn't take any chances with leaving boats on the beach as a hurricane or tropical storm passes near.

Mullineaux said it's too early to tell, but there's a possibility the beach patrol would close the beaches to swimming if the surf gets too dangerous as the storm approaches.

"The eye wall of Irene will pass just offshore Sunday," Alex Sosnowski, Accuweather senior meteorologist said in a Wednesday morning update. "Weather conditions will deteriorate Saturday into Saturday evening with wind and rain increasing. Periods of heavy rain, damaging sustained tropical storm force winds with hurricane-force wind gusts and coastal flooding are possible Saturday night and Sunday."

Depending on the track of the storm, Ocean City could see building surf from the storm as early as Thursday. The waves would peak in size Friday and Saturday as the storm approaches New Jersey.

The 7th Street Surf Shop is sponsoring an Eastern Surfing Association contest 8 a.m. Saturday on the beach at Seventh Street. Call (609) 884-5277 to see if the event is still on.

The Ocean City Pops has an "Our Three Tenors II" concert scheduled for Sunday evening on the Ocean City Music Pier. A box office representative said the Pops has no immediate plan to address a potential postponement or cancellation.