page_title: Hurricane Irene
section_title: Mid-Atlantic
hierarchical_section_title: Hurricane Irene / Preparations / Mainland United States / Mid-Atlantic
caption_attribution_description: MTA Metro-North Railroad closed Grand Central Terminal as Hurricane Irene approached. Photo by Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Marjorie Anders.
context_page_description: Hurricane Irene was a large and destructive tropical cyclone which affected much of the Caribbean and East Coast of the United States during late August 2011. The ninth named storm, first hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, Irene originated from a well-defined Atlantic tropical wave that began showing signs of organization east of the Lesser Antilles. Due to development of atmospheric convection and a closed center of circulation, the system was designated as Tropical Storm Irene on August 20, 2011. After intensifying, Irene made landfall in St. Croix as a strong tropical storm later that day. Early on August 21, the storm made a second landfall in Puerto Rico. While crossing the island, Irene strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane. The storm paralleled offshore of Hispaniola, continuing to slowly intensify in the process. Shortly before making four landfalls in the Bahamas, Irene peaked as a 120 mph Category 3 hurricane.
  Thereafter, the storm slowly leveled off in intensity as it struck the Bahamas and then curved northward after passing east of Grand Bahama.
context_section_description: On August 25, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley declared a state of emergency in preparation for Irene. The town of Ocean City initiated "phase one" of its contingency plan that same day, which includes a mandatory evacuation order for international workforce students. Hours later, phase three of the plan was instituted; it ordered a mandatory evacuation scheduled to start at midnight August 25, for all residents, with the requirement that everyone be evacuated by 5 pm local time, August 26. On August 26, Dorchester and Wicomico Counties declared states of emergency. Certain geographic areas of Somerset and Wicomico Counties, along with all mobile homes in Wicomico County, had mandatory evacuation orders put in effect. Public shelters were made available in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties.
  In Delaware, Governor Jack Markell ordered visitors to evacuate the Delaware beaches effective 6:00 pm on August 25. In addition, he declared a state of emergency; shelters were scheduled to open throughout the state on August 26. The Cape May – Lewes Ferry across Delaware Bay also suspended service for late August 27, through August 28, in response to the pending arrival of the hurricane. Toll operations on Delaware Route 1 were halted in order to optimize evacuation rates along highways. Transit services were expected to be shut down on August 27 and 28, while bridges over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and the Indian River were closed due to high wind. A tornado watch was issued for Delaware in association with Irene at 10:40 am August 27.
  In Washington, D.C., the forecast arrival of Hurricane Irene caused postponement of the planned August 28 dedication ceremony for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. In anticipation of the storm, thousands of sandbags were prepared for placement at flood-prone Washington Metro station entrances. Amtrak service from Washington's Union Station southward was cancelled from August 26, until August 28.
  In eastern Pennsylvania, the ground was already saturated with water when the hurricane arrived, since the preceding month had been the wettest ever recorded. Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter expressed concern that there could be severe devastation in the city and surrounding areas, and Governor Tom Corbett declared a state of emergency in Pennsylvania. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority decided to halt all commuter rail service after midnight August 28. On August 26, Philadelphia's mayor announced there would be no mandatory evacuations for the city, but urged residents to be prudent and to take action and leave should conditions warrant. Officials prepared to open three large shelters on the evening of August 27, capable of holding up to 6,000 people. The Philadelphia International Airport closed at 10:30 pm on Saturday and remained closed until Monday. In Marcus Hook, along the Delaware River, the Sunoco oil refinery preemptively lowered its production rate by 25 percent, to 140,000 barrels per day (22,000 m³/d).
  In New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie declared a state of emergency on August 25, with President Obama reaffirming the declaration nationally by August 27. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for all of Cape May County and all Atlantic County shore communities east of Route 9, prompting Atlantic City's first evacuation in history. About 1,500 National Guard troops were deployed in New Jersey. One National Guard outfit was deployed to flood-prone Manville, NJ, (which was also devastated by Hurricane Floyd in 1999) A couple of National Guardsman attempted to drive two of their deep-water-capable FMTVs through the flooding, but the floodwaters were too deep. The vehicles were overtaken by the waters beneath a dipping Conrail underpass on South Main Street. The Guardsmen were photographed and videotaped by onlookers above them on the train bridge, and both photos and videos went viral over social media. Mandatory evacuations were also ordered for all of Long Beach Island in Ocean County and the Barnegat Peninsula. To relieve evacuation traffic, toll
caption: Grand Central Terminal stands empty following the shut down of the Metro-North Railroad.
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