Tropics
UPDATE: NYC orders mandatory evactuations as Irene nears Outer Banks
National Hurricane Center stats 5pm EDT, Aug 26, 2011: Location: Latitude 31.7 north... Longitude 77.4 west (see map) Direction: north at 14mph Maximum sustained winds: 100 mph Current rating: Category 2 Hurricane Irene is due to arrive early Sunday in New York, and for the first time in history mandatory evacuations are in place for coastal areas in New York City. While Irene has weakened slightly in the last 12 hours, this just reiterates the seriousness of the threat the storm still bears. B