Hurricane Irene Projected to Strengthen, Head Towards the Carolinas

Ron Garan/NASA(MIAMI) -- It has been three years since an Atlantic hurricane has hit the United States, but that is all about to change as Hurricane Irene continues to gather strength and makes it way towards the nation's southern East Coast.

Now a category 2 hurricane, Irene is lashing the northern coast of the Dominican Republic Tuesday morning with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour.

Later Tuesday, "it's expected to move over the Turks and Caicos Islands near the southeast Bahamas," said Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman for the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

But the biggest threat from Irene may come later in the week when the storm is projected to hit North and South Carolina, possibly as a category 3 or 4 hurricane.

"We are urging residents all along the extreme southeastern coast of the United States to be very -- to be paying very close attention to this storm.  Folks in the Carolinas right now have the threat of a landfalling major hurricane here as we get into the weekend," Feltgen said.

He said that, according to models, Irene will "be curving more to the northwest than the north," and "it's impact on Florida will be to parallel the coast."

Feltgen advises those in the Carolinas to make sure they have all of their hurricane plans and supplies in place.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Irene Strengthens, Becomes First Hurricane of 2011 Atlantic Season

National Hurricane Center/NOAA/ National Weather Service(MIAMI) -- Irene officially became the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season after it picked up strength over Puerto Rico early Monday morning.

Hurricane Irene is now packing top winds of 75 miles an hour and is centered about 25 miles west of San Juan, Puerto Rico.  It is moving north/northwest and is expected to approach the Dominican Republic later Monday.

"On this forecast track, the center of Irene will be moving off the coast of Puerto Rico this morning and move near or over the northern coast of the Dominican Republic this afternoon and tonight," said Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman for the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

It is not yet known exactly how Irene will affect the U.S., but Feltgen says people should keep their eyes open.

"As far as its direct impacts on the United States are concerned it's still a little unclear," he said.  "But we are urging residents along the southeast coast in general and Florida in particular to pay close attention to this storm."

For now, the National Weather Service has issued a hurricane warning for parts of Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti.  A hurricane watch has also been issued for central Bahamas.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Hurricane Warnings Issued for Tropical Storm Irene

Hemera Technologies/Ablestock.com(MIAMI) -- Hurricane warnings have been issued for Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic as tropical storm Irene spirals closer Sunday.

Irene has already battered the Leeward Islands. National Hurricane Center forecaster Todd Kimberlain says the storm is expected to turn around in a few days and move towards Florida.

"It could lie anywhere west of Florida to all the way east of Florida, so at this point in time what we are telling residents of Florida to definitely be paying attention," Kimberlain says.

The storm is expected to pass close to Puerto Rico Sunday night or early Monday, and then move on to the Dominican Republic. Forecasters believe it will gain strength over the next day and reach hurricane status.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio