Irene downgraded from hurricane to tropical storm
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says that Irene has lost hurricane strength and made landfall on New York's Coney Island. Forecasters say Irene's winds have fallen to 65 mph. They say Irene should move over New England by the afternoon. Officials also warn that isolated tornadoes are possible in the northeast throughout the morning.
Section:Picture story
People sleep at Penn Station in New York, early Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, as Hurricane Irene approaches the region. Public transportation in New York shut down around noon on Saturday. Irene has the potential to cause billions of dollars in damage all along a densely populated arc that includes Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and beyond. At least 65 million people could be affected.
Chelsea Matiash Associated Press
Lower Manhattan is seen amidst dark clouds in New York, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Hurricane Irene bore down on a dark and quiet New York early Sunday, bringing winds and rapidly rising seawater that threatened parts of the city. The rumble of the subway system was silenced for the first time in years, the city all but shut down for the strongest tropical lashing since the 1980s.
Seth Wenig Associated Press
A fire truck drives through a flooded street in Brooklyn, New York, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Seawater surged into the streets of Manhattan on Sunday as Tropical Storm Irene slammed into New York, downgraded from a hurricane but still unleashing furious wind and rain. The flooding threatened Wall Street and the heart of the global financial network.
Seth Wenig Associated Press
A man walks through flood water along the seawall in Battery Park as Tropical Storm Irene passes through New York, Sunday, August 28, 2011. Seawater surged into the streets of Manhattan on Sunday as Tropical Storm Irene slammed into New York, downgraded from a hurricane but still unleashing furious wind and rain. The flooding threatened Wall Street and the heart of the global financial network.
Jason DeCrow Associated Press
Village of Mamaroneck, N.Y. rescue swimmers ride on the front of a pay-loader en-route to their next mission during Hurricane Irene in Mamaroneck during Hurricane Irene Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011.
The Journal News, Frank Becerra Jr Associated Press
Ken Thompson, right, and Ray Morrison make their way toward their house along a seawall as winds from Tropical Storm Irene batter the shore in Fairhaven, Mass., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Irene weakened to winds of 65 mph, below the 74 mph dividing line between a hurricane and tropical storm. The system was still massive and powerful, forming a figure six that covered the Northeast. It was moving twice as fast as the day before.
Winslow Townson Associated Press
Virginia Dept. of Transportation workers place hose to pump out floodwater at the entrance of Midtown Tunnel prior to its scheduled opening in Norfolk, Va. Sunday morning, Aug. 28, 2011. The flood gate of Midtown Tunnel was closed Saturday morning due to poor weather conditions in advance of Hurricane Irene. During Hurricane Isabel, malfunction of the gate caused flooding of entire Midtown Tunnel.
The Virginia-Pilot, Hyunsoo Leo Kim Associated Press
Denise Robinson clears out her destroyed beach home in the Sandbridge area of Virginia Beach after Hurricane Irene hit Virginia Beach, Va., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Officials speculate that a tornado swept through the area.
Steve Helber Associated Press
Officials survey the damage to route 12 on Hatteras Island, NC., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Hurricane Irene swept through the area Saturday cutting the roadway in five locations. Irene caused more than 4.5 million homes and businesses along the East Coast to reportedly lose power over the weekend, and at least 11 deaths were blamed on the storm.
Steve Helber Associated Press
Nick Martino holds his hat in front of the Schuylkill River’s floodwaters, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, after Hurricane Irene passed through the region. From North Carolina to New Jersey, Hurricane Irene appeared to have fallen short of the doomsday predictions, but more than 4.5 million homes and businesses along the East Coast reportedly lost power, and at least 11 deaths were blamed on the storm.
Matt Rourke Associated Press
Marc James, rear center, and members of his family clean up the house of a friend who evacuated before Hurricane Irene, after it was flooded by a storm surge on the Outer Banks in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.
Charles Dharapak Associated Press
Darrell Tarte, a property estimator with Erie Insurance, surveys damage from a tree at a home in Port Republic, Md. after Hurricane Irene Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Hurricane Irene left nearly a million people without power in the Mid-Atlantic region Sunday, filling low-lying roads with water and bringing trees down on power lines, streets and rail tracks.
Steve Ruark Associated Press
A vehicle is covered by trees on a flooded roadway in Southern Shores, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, after hurricane Irene swept through the area Saturday cutting the roadway in five locations. From North Carolina to New Jersey, Hurricane Irene appeared to have fallen short of the doomsday predictions, but more than 4.5 million homes and businesses along the East Coast reportedly lost power, and at least 11 deaths were blamed on the storm.
Steve Helber Associated Press
Laura Spencer tires to savage her grandson’s clothes Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 after her daughter’s home was hit by Hurricane Irene Saturday in Columbia, N.C. The storm killed at least 14 people and left 4 million homes and businesses without power. It unloaded more than a foot of water on North Carolina and spun off tornadoes in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
John Bazemore Associated Press
People navigate a flooded road from beach homes near Slaughter Beach on an all terrain vehicle in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Del., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, after Hurricane Irene churned along the Delaware coast overnight.
Patrick Semansky Associated Press
A woman talks on a telephone as she stands on a flooded Delaware Ave. in Yardley, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, as the Delaware River overflowed after rains from Hurricane Irene. From North Carolina to New Jersey, Hurricane Irene appeared to have fallen short of the doomsday predictions, but more than 4.5 million homes and businesses along the East Coast reportedly lost power, and at least 11 deaths were blamed on the storm.
Mel Evans Associated Press
Two men examine a toppled telephone pole in the Queens borough of New York, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Although downgraded from hurricane status, Tropical Storm Irene unleashed furious wind and rain on New York, flooding streets, downing trees and power lines.
Brian Scanlon Associated Press
A New York City taxi is stranded in deep water on Manhattan’s West Side as Tropical Storm Irene passes through the city, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 in New York. Although downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, Irene’s torrential rain couple with high winds and tides worked in concert to flood parts of the city.
Peter Morgan Associated Press
A passerby steps over lines taken down by a large tree, which was blown down by Tropical Storm Irene as it passed through the Astoria neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011.
Jason DeCrow Associated Press
A Fairfield Beach Road home is submerged in Pine Creek in Fairfield, Conn. as treacherous weather caused by Tropical Storm Irene came through the area on Sunday Aug. 28, 2011. Tropical Storm Irene sent sea water flooding into shoreline communities and destroyed oceanfront homes as it surged across Connecticut on Sunday, toppling trees and cutting power to nearly half the state.
The Connecticut Post, Cathy Zuraw Associated Press