By Elizabeth Chuck
We'll bring you the latest on Irene, poised to become the first major hurricane to hit the East Coast in seven years, here.
10:10 a.m. ET: Hurricane names are recycled, but certain names, such as Katrina in 2005, are retired if the storms were deadly and caused extreme damage, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Will "Irene" be retired? Here's a list of the names the National Hurricane Center has chosen for storms through 2016. An Atlantic storm called "Nana" is slated for 2014!
10 a.m. ET: In addition to live updates here, you can find storm-related information and�photos on breakingnews.com, where we've just posted this Twitpic from @NBCNewsCrew in the Bahamas, captioned "It's raining sideways with winds upwards of 110 mph":
9:55 a.m. ET: The Navy has ordered a fleet in Virginia, including at Norfolk Naval Station, to leave. The order applies to 64 ships in the area, some which are already at sea, The Associated Press reports.
9:40 a.m. ET: Our partners at The Weather Channel tell us we should know within the next few hours how serious of a threat the National Hurricane Center considers this storm to be. The Center will be holding a briefing later this morning.
9:20 a.m. ET: Damage reports are coming in from the Bahamas. No reports of deaths or injuries so far, thankfully, but an entire settlement known as Lovely Bay on Acklins Island has been destroyed, and at least 40 homes on the island of Mayaguana have been badly damaged, reports the National Emergency Management Agency.
9:10 a.m. ET: An estimated 150,000 tourists are leaving North Carolina's Outer Banks after being told Thursday morning to cut short their vacations, The Associated Press reports. Some had already left as of Wednesday night. Locals are boarding up their homes and businesses.
9:05 a.m. ET: Raw video of Irene in the Bahamas, via weather.com. The palm trees look as if they're barely hanging on:
8:55 a.m. ET: From the Weather Channel, a map of Irene's projected path:
weather.com
8:40 a.m. ET: North Carolina officials are scrambling to inspect bridges and get sandbags ready for potential floods. The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for North Carolina's Outer Banks, which means hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours. Further north, precautions so far are mainly wait-and-see as officials watch for developments in the forecast.
8:25 a.m. ET:�That earthquake that shook the East Coast earlier this week? That's so two days ago. Irene, which could become the first major hurricane to strike the East Coast in seven years, is what everyone is focused on now.
Here's what we know about Irene at this hour:
- Irene pounded the Bahamas as a Category 3 hurricane with winds at 115 mph early Thursday, causing widespread damage on at least two islands.
- Forecasters expect winds to increase over the next day: Irene is expected to become a Category 4 storm with winds of 131 mph or more.
- Irene could hit North Carolina's Outer Banks Saturday afternoon. It's then predicted to make its way up from Virginia to New York City, finally reaching land as a weakened storm in Connecticut, and trickling off in Maine by Monday.
You can track Hurricane Irene's path here.
Hurricane Irene battered the Bahamas Thursday morning, with heavy rain and dangerous winds, and forecasters say this powerful storm could cause significant damage to America's East Coast. NBC's Lilia Luciano and TODAY's Al Roker report.
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