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...Irene re-emerges over the Atlantic Ocean...water levels rising
in the Virginia Tidewater region...

Summary of 700 PM EDT...2300 UTC...information

location...36.5n 75.8w
about 35 mi...55 km se of Norfolk Virginia
about 315 mi...510 km SSW of New York City
maximum sustained winds...80 mph...130 km/h
present movement...NNE or 20 degrees at 16 mph...26 km/h
minimum central pressure...950 mb...28.05 inches

watches and warnings

changes in watches and warnings with this advisory...

the Hurricane Warning has been discontinued south of Surf City North
Carolina.

Summary of watches and warnings in effect...

a Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Surf City North Carolina northward to Sagamore Beach
Massachusetts...including the Pamlico...Albemarle...and Currituck
sounds...Delaware Bay...Chesapeake Bay south of Drum Point...New
York City...Long Island...Long Island Sound...coastal Connecticut
and Rhode Island...Block Island...Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket

Discussion and 48-hour outlook

at 700 PM EDT...2300 UTC...the center of Hurricane Irene was located
near latitude 36.5 north...longitude 75.8 west. Irene is moving
toward the north-northeast near 16 mph...26 km/h...and this motion
accompanied by a gradual increase in forward speed is expected
during the next day or so. On the forecast track...the center of
Irene will move near or over the mid-Atlantic coast tonight...and
move over southern New England on Sunday. Irene is forecast to move
into eastern Canada Sunday night.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 80 mph...130 km/h...with higher
gusts. Irene is forecast to remain a hurricane as it moves near or
over the mid-Atlantic coast and approaches New England. The
hurricane is forecast to weaken after landfall in New England and
become a Post-tropical cyclone Sunday night or early Monday.

Irene is a large tropical cyclone. Hurricane-force winds extend
outward up to 85 miles...140 km...from the center...and
tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 290 miles...465 km.
A NOAA C-man station east of the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay
recently reported a sustained wind of 61 mph...with a gust to 68
mph. Tropical storm conditions are gradually spreading northward
over southeastern Virginia...and over the southern and central
portions of the Delmarva Peninsula.

A storm surge height of about 4.6 feet has been observed at Oregon
Inlet North Carolina...and a storm surge height of about 4 feet has
occurred so far at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.

Rainfall amounts of 10 to 14 inches have already occurred over a
large portion of eastern North Carolina...with the highest amount
of 14.00 inches reported at Bunyan North Carolina thus far.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 950 mb...28.05 inches.

Hazards affecting land

wind...tropical-storm-force winds will spread northward along the
mid-Atlantic coast this evening with hurricane conditions expected
tonight. Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach southern
New England late this evening with hurricane conditions expected by
Sunday morning. Winds affecting the upper floors of high-rise
buildings will be significantly stronger than those near
ground-level.

Storm surge...an extremely dangerous storm tide will raise water
levels by as much as 5 to 9 feet above ground level in the
Hurricane Warning area in North Carolina...including the Albemarle
and Pamlico sounds. Storm surge will raise water levels by as much
as 4 to 8 feet above ground level within the Hurricane Warning area
from the North Carolina/Virginia border northward to Cape Cod
including southern portions of the Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries. Near the coast...the surge will be accompanied by
large...destructive...and life-threatening waves. Higher than
normal astronomical tides are occurring this weekend. Coastal and
river flooding will be highest in areas where the peak surge occurs
around the time of high tide. Storm tide and surge values are very
location-specific...and users are urged to consult products issued
by their local National Weather Service offices.