Friday Afternoon Storms Could Precede Irene's Arrival

Another tropical storm warning was issued for the area at 6:32 a.m. Friday as Hurricane Irene continues to roll toward the East Coast.

It's with lessened intensity than Thursday night, though.

and Irene was downgraded overnight to a high-end category 2 hurricane but is expected to return to a category 3 storm again later Friday, according to The Weather Channel.

The NWS also issued a flash flood watch for portions of the Washington Metropolitan area and southern Maryland.

Rockville Forecast

The National Weather Service is forecasting a 30 percent chance of rain this afternoon, with a high temperature of 88 degrees.

Tropical storm conditions are possible on Saturday, with rain and wind gusts as fast as 34 mph. The chance of precipation is 50 percent during the day on Saturday and 90 percent tomorrow night. The area may see up to two inches of rain.

Irene's Path

The center of the storm was about 660 miles south of Washington at 6 a.m. Friday, according to the NWS. That means it , or about 13.3 miles per hour according to those numbers.

Irene is expected to first make landfall on the East Cost late Saturday morning or early Saturday afternoon in North Carolina as a borderline category 2 or 3 hurricane, before heading north, reports The Weather Channel.

Preparedness

The expected wind speeds for the area could cause minor damage to older mobile homes, according to the NWS, and recommends moving loose items such as garbage cans and lawn furniture indoors. Newly planted or young trees and shrubs could be uprooted. Isolated power outages will be possible.

Tips for preparing for a hurricane are available on the FEMA website.