Irene Upgraded to Major Category 3 Hurricane as It Nears East Coast

Hurricane Irene has become a major Category 3 hurricane, packing winds of 115 mph as it makes its way to the East Coast, where evacuations began early Wednesday on a tiny barrier island off North Carolina. The first ferry to leave Ocracoke Island arrived just before 5:30 a.m. in nearby Hatteras with around a dozen cars on board. It won’t be easy to get thousands of people off Ocracoke Island, which is accessible only by boat. The 16-mile-long barrier island is home to about 800 year-round residents and a tourist population that...