MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Irene is expected to intensify Friday, and forecasters said it could become a hurricane as it approaches the East Coast.

The National Hurricane Center said Irene's potential threat to land is still uncertain, as its path has shifted east. Forecasters said the storm could strike the coast anywhere from South Carolina to New Jersey.

Irene's top sustained winds increased to about 60 mph, and forecasters said conditions appeared favorable for the storm to strengthen.

At 5 a.m. EDT, the storm's center was located about 325 miles south of Bermuda and about 795 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C. It was moving northwest near 15 mph, though it was expected to slow down.

Normally, there are only two named storms by this time in the Atlantic hurricane season. Irene became the earliest ninth named storm in the season, which began June 1 and ends Nov. 30, when it developed Sunday.


I have a funny feling about this one! I think its going to hook more north!
Now this will kick the fishing in the pants!

Forecasted track is a bit north of yesterday:



http://image.weather.com/images/maps/tropical/strm9_strike_720x486.jpg

I love hurricanes!! (as long as no one gets hurt) But I say bring it on! That map looks like we have a good shot at this one! :gu:

I love hurricanes!! (as long as no one gets hurt) But I say bring it on! That map looks like we have a good shot at this one! :gu:

Not I.The death and destruction brought on by them just isn't worth the "thrill".

Plus we have more than one house still in the framing stage.

STAY AWAY!!!

I don't think there's much a chance of Irene giving us a scare, but we'll certianly see some surf :eek5:

-spence

what Basswipe said.

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& we know your intentions are good. Roiling SW surf etc.etc.

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& we know your intentions are good. Roiling SW surf etc.etc.

I certainly wouldn't mind the surf from an offshore storm either!

Its all good! Fished the no-name storm of 1991 at watch hill, just before it hit hard (also known as the perfect storm) bass everyplace! casting darters it was awesome, damon and I had fish into the 30lb range, and broke off on some brutes! Huge surf, bait pinned, bull bass breaking water! awesome

Sweet!!! I find fishing to be better before a storm. I am also going surfing tomorrow, there should be some good swells!!!

I like this wave forecast better, click north alantic and ww3
https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/PUBLIC/
Unfortunately I can't take a weekday off until after Labor day

I have a bad feeling about this one.

I have a cousin named Donna (that one hit RI in 1960).

I had a cousin named Carol (1954).

I have a sister named Gloria (hit LI in 1985, after I moved here).

My aunt Irene passed away last year.

I don't have any relative named Bob, but that one skirted LI and walloped you guys up in NE.

Any hurricane that's hit where I lived head-on has been named for one of my relatives :err:

Donna was the first Hurricane I remember. I hope Irene comes in as a tropical storm, that it does no damage, kicks up the surf and puts about 2 inches of rain on my house. My lawn is dead and the trees and bushes are starting to looked sick.

Spence; surf is building.. nice surge last night...

All depends on the Bermuda high; if it shifts in and blocks us no dice; if it doesnt :( watch out...

Having some percentage of resposnibility for 4 boats from 13-60ft I hope she misses us...

At what point does the fishing take off with the appraoching storm?? Before the surf gets huge or as it gets really close and the winds kick up?? Any favorite lures to throw in a big swell?

I am wondering the same thing chef. doesn't the weed and crap get all kicked up in high surf making fishing impossible? last fall I tried to fish some high surf and I got 50 pounds of weed!

Big Surf-bottle plugs, darters ( darters are my favorite)

When I say before a storm I mean now, there is already building surf! last night there was a good swell on, there comes a point when the surf gets to dirty and to dangerous to fish right along with getting dirty, I would say the next few days should be good.....

Sweet!!! I find fishing to be better before a storm. I am also going surfing tomorrow, there should be some good swells!!!

Let me know where so I can cast at you! :hee:

Bill:
I fished the same storm at watch Hill with Bobby Ward and RJ, Gill and Tony Bucci. It was in fact unbelievable. If the waves didn't kill you every fish was a 30. I believe Halloween 1991.

I agree! Big surf = big fish...bring it on!

There is never enough power in the hurricanes to do major damage to the NE.

I worked for a cable company in the middle of two hurricanes (Gloria and Bob).