FXCN31 CWHX 270000 TROPICAL CYCLONE TECHNICAL INFORMATION STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE CANADIAN HURRICANE CENTRE OF ENVIRONMENT CANADA AT 9.00 PM ADT FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 2011. THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 3.00 AM ADT 1. CURRENT POSITION, STRENGTH, CENTRAL PRESSURE AND MOTION AT 9.00 PM ADT , HURRICANE IRENE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 32.2 N AND LONGITUDE 77.1 W , ABOUT 200 NAUTICAL MILES OR 370 KM SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF CAPE HATTERAS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT 85 KNOTS ( 157 KM/H ) AND CENTRAL PRESSURE AT 952 MB. IRENE IS MOVING NORTH AT 12 KNOTS ( 22 KM/H ). 2. FORECAST POSITION, CENTRAL PRESSURE AND STRENGTH DATE TIME LAT LON MSLP MAX WIND ADT MB KTS KMH AUG 26 9.00 PM 32.2N 77.1W 952 85 157 AUG 27 9.00 AM 34.4N 76.6W 952 85 157 AUG 27 9.00 PM 36.7N 75.6W 960 75 139 AUG 28 9.00 AM 40.1N 73.9W 970 65 120 AUG 28 9.00 PM 43.5N 71.5W 975 60 111 AUG 29 9.00 AM 47.0N 68.0W 980 50 93 POST-TROPICAL AUG 29 9.00 PM 50.7N 63.4W 990 45 83 POST-TROPICAL AUG 30 9.00 AM 54.3N 56.5W 990 45 83 POST-TROPICAL AUG 30 9.00 PM 57.4N 47.2W 990 40 74 POST-TROPICAL AUG 31 9.00 AM 60.1N 36.8W 990 40 74 POST-TROPICAL 3. TECHNICAL DISCUSSION A. ANALYSIS RECENT SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES THAT THE EYE OF IRENE IS NOT VERY NOTICEABLE AND AREAS OF DRY AIR ARE DEPICTED SPIRALLING TOWARD THE CENTRE. WATER VAPOUR IMAGERY DEPICTS DRY AIR TO THE WEST OF IRENE WHICH POSSIBLY EXPLAINS WHY THE HURRICANE HASN'T INTENSIFIED. IRENE IS MOVING NORTHWARD AT 12 KNOTS (22 KM/H). B. PROGNOSTIC IRENE IS FORECAST TO REMAIN OVER VERY WARM WATERS FOR ANOTHER 12 TO 18 HOURS AT WHICH TIME THE STORM WILL BE VERY NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST. THEREAFTER SOUTHWESTERLY SHEAR IS FORECAST TO INCREASE AS IRENE BECOMES INFLUENCED BY AN UPPER TROUGH. IN ADDITION, THE STORM WILL TRACK OVER SLIGHTLY COOLER WATER TEMPERATURES ONCE IT MOVES NORTH OF NORTH CAROLINA. THESE TWO FACTORS IN ADDITION TO INTERACTION WITH LAND WILL LEAD TO STEADY WEAKENING OF IRENE AS IT MOVES ALONG OR VERY NEAR THE US EAST COAST. IRENE IS FORECAST TO BE BELOW HURRICANE STRENGTH BEFORE ENTERING CANADIAN TERRITORY. HOWEVER, HURRICANE FORCE GUSTS MAY EXIST WITH THE STORM EVEN AS IT BECOMES POST-TROPICAL. THE IMPACTS OF IRENE AS IT APPROACHES CANADIAN TERRITORY WILL INCLUDE HEAVY RAIN LEFT OF TRACK AND GUSTY WINDS RIGHT OF TRACK. DUE TO SPRING TIDES, HEAVY POUNDING SURF AND STORM SURGE THERE MAY BE SOME COASTAL IMPACTS ALONG SHORELINES CLOSE AND IMMEDIATELY RIGHT OF IRENE'S TRACK. LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT SOUTH FACING SHORELINES OF NOVA SCOTIA LATE SATURDAY. OF NOTE, IF IRENE GETS HEAVILY SHEARED WITH THE LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION BEING DISPLACED FROM THE DEEPER CLOUD. THE TRACK FORECAST MAY SHIFT EASTWARD AS INDICATED BY THE MEDIUM AND SHALLOW BAM GUIDANCE. C. PREDICTED WIND RADII (NM) TIME GALES STORMS HURRICANE NE SE SW NW NE SE SW NW NE SE SW NW 27/00Z 250 200 120 170 125 105 50 75 80 80 50 50 27/12Z 250 200 120 170 125 105 50 75 80 80 50 50 28/00Z 255 210 120 160 120 110 50 75 65 65 30 30 28/12Z 265 220 120 140 120 120 60 65 40 40 10 10 29/00Z 270 235 120 120 120 120 55 55 0 0 0 0 29/12Z 270 250 110 100 75 70 20 30 0 0 0 0 30/00Z 275 240 75 65 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30/12Z 240 215 50 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31/00Z 250 225 50 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31/12Z 250 275 50 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 END HATT/MARCH