Hurricane Irene 10am update from Chief Meteorologist Mike Francis – WXIA-TV
Kill Devil Hills, NC — 11Alive Chief Meteorologist Mike Francis is tracking Hurricane Irene from the North Carolina Coast.
Mike says winds have dipped down to about 85 miles per hour at Nags Head Beach in Kill Devil Hills since his live report during the 8:00am hour. He says gusts topped 100 miles per hour at 8:30am and the wind began creating a “sandstorm” from the beach.
The eye of the storm made landfall just before 8:30am Saturday on the North Carolina coast. Officials do not have a damage estimate, but a pier was swept away at Atlantic Beach and there are power outages along the coast. Officials are also watching for possible tornadoes spawned by the storm.
More than 2 million people along the East Coast were told to move to safer places, and New York City ordered the nation’s biggest subway system shut down for the first time because of a natural disaster. Airlines have canceled thousands of flights.
Chesley McNeil is tracking the path from our 11Alive Weather Information Zone, while Mike Francis will continue updating conditions along the coast all morning.
Mike is also posting updates and pictures from the coast on his facebook page, just click here.
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