Hurricane Irene formed east of the Caribbean island of Dominica, part of the Lesser Antilles region, on the afternoon of August 20. Irene moved through the Caribbean and up the east coast of the United States making landfall twice. She first made landfall as a Category 1 Hurricane near Cape Lookout, North Carolina around 7:30am on August 27, then moved offshore again during the evening. She then made a 2nd landfall, again as a Category 1 Hurricane at 540am on August 28 near Little Egg Inlet in New Jersey. She moved over New York City and then into southeastern New York State and Connecticut as a Tropical Storm a few hours later. By the end of the evening of the 28th, Irene was crossing the U.S./Canada border having produced significant amounts of rain, storm surge, inland and coastal flooding, and wind damage across southern New England and much of the east coast of the United States.
In Southern New England, the minimum surface pressure recorded was 976.9mb taken at Barnes Municipal Airport in Westfield, Massachusetts. The storm surge experienced along the coast was generally in the two to four foot range with a high of 4.78 feet at Fox Point in Providence, Rhode Island. The highest sustained windspeed was 54 knots (62 mph) at the Physical Oceanographic Real Time System station at Conimicut Light in Narragansett Bay, RI. The highest sustained wind speed on land was 38 knots (44 mph) recorded on the Automated Surface Observing Systems at both Barnstable Municipal Airport in Hyannis, MA (KHYA) and Logan International Airport in Boston, MA (KBOS). Rainfall amounts ranged from nearly zero (0.03 at Nantucket Memorial Airport - ACK) to nearly 10 inches (9.92 in Conway, MA).
Despite the relatively low wind speeds, sustained winds over a 6 to 12 hour long duration resulted in widespread tree damage and resulted in power outages to roughly half a million customers throughout the state. Some of these customers did not get their power back until the Friday following the storm (some five days later). Durring the passage of Tropical Storm Irene, the winds resulted in $0.19M in property damages.
The collective effects of Tropical Storm Irene on August 28, resulted in 1 fatality, 0 injuries, and $127.3M in property damage in the following counties: Barnstable, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcester (all in MA), Hartford, Tolland, and Windham (all in CT), Cheshire and Hillsborough (all in NH), and Bristol, Providence, Kent, Washington, and Newport (all in RI).

Tropical Storm in EASTERN KENT, RHODE ISLAND
From 28-AUG-11 05:30:00 to 28-AUG-11 11:44:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Several trees in Warwick were downed, including on Chester Avenue and Post Road.  The Automated Surface Observing System at T.F. Green State Airport (KPVD) recorded sustained wind speeds of 38 knots (44 mph) and gusts to 56 knots (64 mph).

Tropical Storm in WESTERN KENT, RHODE ISLAND
From 28-AUG-11 05:36:00 to 28-AUG-11 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Numerous trees, poles, and wires were downed throughout Coventry.  An amateur radio operator recorded a wind gust of 52 knots (60 mph) on their home weather station in Coventry.

Tropical Storm in NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
From 28-AUG-11 05:50:00 to 28-AUG-11 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 75.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Numerous trees and telephone poles were downed throughout northwest Providence County including in Lincoln (Smithfield Road), Harrisville (Steere Farm Road), Smithfield (Roger Williams Drive), Scituate (Route 6), Woonsocket, Burrillville (Douglas Pike), and Greenville (Smith Avenue).  One of these trees was downed onto a car.

Tropical Storm in WASHINGTON, RHODE ISLAND
From 28-AUG-11 05:58:00 to 28-AUG-11 11:05:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Trees were downed in Charlestown and Narragansett, including on Boston Neck Road in Narragansett.  The Automated Surface Observing System at Westerly State Airport (KWST) recorded sustained winds of 32 knots (37 mph) and wind gusts to 46 knots (53 mph).

Tropical Storm in BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND
From 28-AUG-11 06:27:00 to 28-AUG-11 08:36:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A tree was downed on a house in Warren.  An amateur radio operator recorded a gust of 71 knots (82 mph) on their home weather station in Barrington.

Storm Surge/Tide in BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND
From 28-AUG-11 07:42:00 to 28-AUG-11 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

A storm surge between 3.16 and 4.78 feet, associated with Tropical Storm Irene, impacted Mathewson Road in Barrington with two feet of water.  The Forestville section of Bristol, east of Main Street, was evacuated due to the storm surge from Tropical Storm Irene.

Storm Surge/Tide in NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
From 28-AUG-11 08:07:00 to 28-AUG-11 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A storm surge of 3.16 feet, associated with Tropical Storm Irene, impacted Memorial Boulevard and Eastons Beach.  Bowens Wharf was under ten to twelve inches of seawater and the Wellington Avenue underpass was flooded and impassable.

Tropical Storm in SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
From 28-AUG-11 08:24:00 to 28-AUG-11 09:30:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A tree was downed in East Providence on Willett Avenue, blocking the road.

Tropical Storm in NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
From 28-AUG-11 08:36:00 to 28-AUG-11 11:43:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 20.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Trees were downed onto wires at the intersection of Rhode Island Avenue and Oakwood Terrace and at the intersection of Bellevue Avenue and East Bowery Street in Newport.  A trained spotter recorded gusts to 51 knots (59 mph) on their home weather station in Newport.  An amateur radio operator recorded gusts to 49 knots (57 mph) on their home weather station in Little Compton.  The Automated Surface Observing Station at Newport State Airport (KUUU) recorded sustained winds of 30 knots (35 mph) and wind gusts to 48 knots (55 mph).