Sam Sagnella
EF5
Irene does not look healthy at this time, with most -if not all- of the deep convection is located to the SW of the center, though curved bands of showers exist to the east. Irene is also running out of time to strengthen before cooler SSTs and increasing shear become major players. There is good news for those along the eastern seaboard in the ridge axis shifting eastward, allowing for an earlier recurvature to the NNW/N and with strong westerlies located over srn New England, Irene should begin to turn away from the coast in the next day or so.