Hurricane Irene – 1st of the Season – Could Hit Miami

Tropical Storm Irene strengthened into a hurricane as it came ashore over Puerto Rico, reaching category 1, according to the most recent bulletin, released at 5:00 AM AST, from the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The center of Hurricane Irene was “located along the north coast of Puerto Rico,” said the NHC. It is expected to continue moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph (19 km/h) “for the next couple of days.” On that track Irene will “move off the north coast of Puerto Rico this morning, and move near or over the northern coastal regions of the Dominican Republic this afternoon and tonight.”