This Image as of 8:00 am, 8-24-11 from the NOAA forecasters indicates the likely path of the tropical storm Irene. It DOES NOT indicate the actual wind speeds. Rather it indicates the percentage of the final wind speed that will affect any given area.

For example as the storm stays on the path shown, our area will get about 5 to 10% of the actual wind speed, e.g.; if the wind speed is 140 mph at the time the storm gets to our latitude, Pine Island may experience 10 to 20 mph sustained (1 min or more) wind gusts. It is not unusual to get 50 or 60 mph gusts during a normal rain event in this area.

As the storm moves by in the Atlantic, the forecasts indicate we will get about occasional 20mph winds and rain throughout Wed. night. This one basically has passed us but the season's not over.