black rock

Irene is now a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph. Rain will become heavy around 2 a.m. Sunday with winds picking up around 5 a.m.  Damaging winds around Irene's eyewall will begin at 10 a.m. with landfall on Fairfield County around 2 p.m.  High tide in Black Rock is at 11 AM so storm surges are most likely between 10 AM to noon.   Winds will begin to subside around 4 p.m. with rain moving out between 5 and 9 p.m.  Shoreline areas, like Black Rock, will experience hurricane-force gusts around 74 mph. 

Irene is headed up the East Coast and its path is now just west of Bridgeport. Fairfield has ordered evaculations of the Fairfield Beach area tomorrow by 4 PM. If you live in Black Rock near the water consider moving inland as the storm is likely to hit at high tide on Sunday morning around 11 AM. This means not only a storm surge, but a storm tide (combination of storm surge and high tide), which can cause flooding beyond normal flood plain areas.