MIAMI (AP)—
Forecasters say Hurricane Irene that is taking aim at the East Coast could become a Category 4 monster by Thursday.The National Hurricane Center late Wednesday said Irene is approaching the northwestern Bahamas as a Category 3 storm with winds at 120 mph (193 kph). But forecasters say that could increase quickly over the next day.
Hurricane and tropical storm watches will likely be required for parts of the coast of the Carolinas by early Thursday. No warnings or watches were out late Wednesday.
Officials said Irene could cause flooding, power outages or worse as far north as Maine, even if the eye of the storm stays offshore. Hurricane-force winds were expected 50 miles from the center of the storm.
Dare County beaches are the state's top vacation destination, and it ordered tourists out beginning Thursday morning. Tourism represents about $834 million for businesses in the county, which has 8,000 rental homes and 3,000 hotel rooms, plus campground spots.
Business owners are wary of sacrificing a weekend in August if it's not completely necessary.
"We had that occur last year, with Earl," said Veda Peters, co-owner of the Cypress House Inn in Kill Devil Hills. He was referring to the hurricane that passed off to the east, bringing little more than a night of rain and some wind gusts. "They evacuated the county, and then Labor Day weekend was gorgeous in the Outer Banks."
So far, the Cypress House Inn is fully booked for the coming weekend, but Peters already is getting calls about the weather.
"If it's safe for people to be here, we want them to be here. If it's not safe, we'll say so and we'll get you in as soon as it is," said Lee Nettles, managing director or the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. "We have a peak summer season, and we're in the midst of that."
A system currently over the Great Lakes will play a large role in determining if Irene is pushed farther to the east in the next three or four days.
