Irene Weakens to Tropical Storm as it Makes Landfall on New York’s Coney Island

BOSTON, Aug. 28, 2011 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Irene deviated slightly from the NHC forecast track yesterday, taking a slight westward shift before resuming its north-northeast direction. This brought the center of the storm into New Jersey, near Little Egg Inlet, for its second landfall at 5:30 am this morning. Sustained winds, as reported by the NHC, were 75 mph. “It is worth noting, however, that as yet there have been no onshore wind observations of greater than tropical storm force since Irene made landfall near…

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Irene Makes Landfall Near Cape Lookout, North Carolina

hurricane irene news and updates

BOSTON, Aug. 27, 2011 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, the eye of Hurricane Irene made landfall near Cape Lookout, North Carolina at about 7:30 am EDT, Saturday, August 27. As of the National Hurricane Center’s (NHC) 11:00 am advisory, Irene-now a Category 1 storm (down from Category 2 status yesterday)- Irene is moving to the north-northeast at about 15 mph, and this forward motion is expected to continue over the next 24 hours. “Maximum sustained winds are near 85 mph,” said Dr. Tim Doggett, principal scientist, AIR…

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AIR Worldwide Estimates Insured Losses in the Caribbean from Hurricane Irene at

BOSTON, Aug. 26, 2011 -AIR Worldwide estimates that insured losses in the Caribbean from Hurricane Irene will be between USD 500 million and USD 1.1 billion. AIR expects the Bahamas will account for more than 60% of the insured loss-between USD 300 million and USD 700 million. This estimate includes wind and precipitation-induced flood damage to insured onshore residential, commercial and industrial properties (and their contents), automobiles, and business interruption losses in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, and other Caribbean territories. Hurricane Irene has exited the…

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Irene Strengthens to Category 3 Hurricane as it Advances Into the Bahamas

BOSTON, Aug. 24, 2011 — As of the National Hurricane Center’s 8:00 am EDT advisory, Category 3 Hurricane Irene is battering the southern Bahamas with sustained winds of 115 mph. According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Irene is currently 55 miles southeast of Acklins Island and 335 miles southeast of the capital Nassau. The storm is moving to the west-northwest at 9 mph. The center of the storm is headed directly for the Crooked and Acklins Islands, both sparsely populated (estimated population about 880 combined) and characterized by agriculture…

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Irene Becomes First Hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season

According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Irene became the Atlantic basin’s first hurricane of the 2011 season when its winds strengthened to 75 miles per hour at about 5:00 AM Monday morning as it was exiting Puerto Rico’s northern coast. Currently a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with sustained winds of 80 mph, Irene is expected to strengthen further over the next few days, potentially reaching Category 3 status by Saturday, depending on how long it remains over the ocean. “Hurricane Irene is the ninth…

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