Irene - Hurricane Watches issued.

Hurricane Watches have been issued for all of the Massachusetts coastline this morning, with the entire state under a Tropical Storm Wind Watch as well.

A hurricane WATCH means, hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours.

Hurricane Watches are in magenta, the track of the storm is from the National Hurricane Center.

Irene should track a bit further east I feel and has a great potential to be over the Boston area between 5 and 9 PM Sunday.  Any location to the right of the above track can expect wind gusts over hurricane force 74mph +.  Heavy rain will also be a problem for ALL of New England, up to 10" of rain could fall on already wet ground.   Wet soil will easily knock doen trees.

Significan storm surge and waves are also expected along the south coast.  Storm surge for Boston will be lower due to the block effect of Cape Cod,  but Buzzards Bay, Narraganset Bay, and all of coastal Southern RI and MA could see extremely high water levels. 

Below is this mornings discussion from the NWS in Boston. I feel it is a good read.

Hurricane Statement from Boston

IMPACTS...

1) HIGH SURF AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS HAVE ALREADY ARRIVED ON THE
   SOUTH COAST

2) HEAVY RAIN WITH MODERATE TO MAJOR FLOODING - ESPECIALLY ON THE
   WEST SIDE OF THE STORM

3) VERY STRONG DAMAGING WINDS - ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE
   STORM

4) LARGE AND POTENTIAL DESTRUCTIVE STORM SURGE/COASTAL FLOODING
   ALONG THE SOUTH COAST

5) A FEW WEAK TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE ON THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST SIDE
   OF IRENE. 

TECHNICAL DISCUSSION...
IRENE WILL HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT AND DAMAGING IMPACT ON SOUTHERN
NEW ENGLAND.  WE ARE STILL MORE THAN 48 HOURS OUT FROM AN POTENTIAL
LANDFALLING HURRICANE IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND.  THIS MEANS THERE IS
CONTINUED MODEL UNCERTAINTY ON THE TRACK...STRENGTH AND EXACT
HAZARDS.  HOWEVER...ITS BECOMING PRETTY APPARENT THAT NO MATTER
WHERE IT TRACKS THIS SHOULD BE A VERY SIGNIFICANT AND POTENTIALLY
DAMAGING EVENT ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND.  FOR WHAT ITS
WORTH...THE CONSENSUS OF THE 00Z MODEL DATA HAS TRENDED A BIT BACK
TO THE EAST.  CONSENSUS WOULD HAVE LANDFALL IN THE VICINITY OF LONG
ISLAND/CONNECTICUT OR RHODE ISLAND.  HOWEVER...THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
TRACKS AS FAR WEST AS THE MASS/NY BORDER...TO FAR SOUTHEAST MA
REMAINS IN THE CONE OF UNCERTAINTY.  WE SHOULD SEE THE MODELS BEGIN
TO REALLY LATCH ONTO THE TRACK OVER THE NEXT 1 TO 2 MODEL
CYCLES...AS WE MOVE INSIDE 48 HOURS FROM POTENTIAL LANDFALL.

WITH ALL THAT SAID...A HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE
COASTAL SECTIONS AND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES FOR MOST OF THE INTERIOR.

IT APPEARS THAT THE STAGE IS BEING SET FOR A CLASSIC PREDECESSOR
RAIN EVENT SATURDAY NIGHT...OUT AHEAD OF IRENE.  TROPICAL MOISTURE
WILL STREAM NORTHWARD AHEAD OF IRENE AND WILL RESULT IN INCREASING
BANDS OF HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS.  THE OVERALL AREAL COVERAGE AND
INTENSITY SHOULD INCREASE TOWARDS MORNING.  THE MODELS APPEAR TO
HAVE SPED UP THE TRACK OF IRENE ON THIS RUN...MOST LIKELY MAKING
LANDFALL AS A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE.  HOWEVER...THERE STILL IS A LOW
PROBABILITY THAT IT MAKES LANDFALL AS A LOW END CATEGORY 2.



MORE DETAILED HAZARDS...

1) HIGH SURF AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS:
SWELL FROM IRENE HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH
SURF AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS...ESPECIALLY ON OCEAN EXPOSED SOUTH
FACING BEACHES.  THESE CONDITIONS WILL BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORST
TODAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND AND SWIMMING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

2) HEAVY RAIN WITH MODERATE TO MAJOR FLOODING POSSIBLE:
A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY
NIGHT FOR ALL BUT THE CAPE AND ISLANDS.  WHILE THE EXACT TRACK
REMAINS UNCERTAIN...5 TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE TO THE LEFT OF THE TRACK.  THIS WILL LIKELY
BRING MODERATE TO MAJOR URBAN AND RIVER FLOODING TO PARTS OF THE
REGION.  AT THIS POINT...INTERIOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND IS AT
GREATEST RISK FOR MORE SERIOUS FLOODING.  NONETHELESS...THE BOSTON
TO PROVIDENCE CORRIDOR STILL HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING
ESPECIALLY IF THE TRACK SHIFTS EAST IN LATER MODEL RUNS.

3) VERY STRONG DAMAGING WIND GUSTS - ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST SIDE:
AS MENTIONED EARLIER...MODEL CONSENSUS FAVORS IRENE MAKING LANDFALL
AS A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE WITH A LOW PROBABILITY OF A LOW END
CATEGORY 2.  THERE IS STILL SPREAD AND UNCERTAINTY OF THE TRACK AS
WELL.  BASED ON MODEL CONSENSUS LANDFALL SOMEWHERE IN THE LONG
ISLAND/EASTERN CT OR RHODE ISLAND AREA SEEMS REASONABLE...BUT STILL
MORE THAN 48 HOURS OUT SO NOTHING IS SET IN STONE.
REGARDLESS...EXPECT VERY STRONG DAMAGING WIND ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE
CENTER.  THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES AND TREE DAMAGE
EXISTS WITH IRENE.  ITS POSSIBLE THAT EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES AFFECT
A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND SO PEOPLE SHOULD BE PREPARED.

4) LARGE AND POTENTIALLY DESTRUCTIVE STORM SURGE/COASTAL FLOODING:
COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED ACROSS BOTH COASTS AS A RESULT OF
HURRICANE IRENE.  HOWEVER...THE AREA OF EXTREME CONCERN IS ALONG THE
SOUTH COAST AND FOR BOTH THE SUNDAY MORNING AND EVENING TIDES.  THIS
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A VERY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING
COASTAL FLOOD EVENT.  WHETHER THIS COMES TO FRUITION WILL DEPEND
UPON THE EXACT TRACK AND TIMING.  ITS SO TOUGH BECAUSE THE CHANGE IN
TIMING BY JUST A FEW HOURS WILL HAVE HUGE IMPACTS ON THE STORM SURGE
POTENTIAL.  HOWEVER...PEOPLE LIVING ON THE SOUTH COAST SHOULD BE
PREPARED FOR THIS POTENTIAL.

5) A FEW WEAK AND SHORT LIVED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE:
HURRICANE IRENE WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE A FEW WEAK
SHORT-LIVED TORNADOES MAINLY ON THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST SIDE OF THE
SYSTEM.  IN FACT...IF THIS DID OCCUR THERE PROBABLY WOULD NOT EVEN
BE THUNDER.  THIS MAINLY A RESULT OF EXTREME DIRECTIONAL AND SPEED
SHEAR.