HURRICANE

For the first time, North Shore L.I. residents must leave their homes

As Hurricane Irene sustains its path, making landfall in eastern North Carolina at around 7:30 a.m. Saturday, the storm has weakened from Category 2 to Category 1, according to an update released by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) at 5 a.m. Saturday.

Hurricane Irene is disrupting the lives of some 50 million along the U.S. East Coast. But here are five survival tips worth trying to pass the time and make the best of a bad situation.

Hurricane Irene was downgraded to a Category 1 storm early Saturday but updated forecasts still show Irene is a powerful threat. The hurricane is nearing landfall in North Carolina, and models still show it should hit New York within 24 hours at hurricane strength. New York remains directly in the path of Irene on Saturday, and the storm is forecast to strike late Saturday and early Sunday at hurricane strength. But first, the Category 1 storm is within hours of making landfall in eastern North ...

Irene is bearing down on North Carolina early Saturday, preparing to make landfall. In New York, residents and officials continue preparation with evacuations and closings.

Hurricane Irene slightly lost some of its power on Saturday, but the destructive storm continues to move toward North Carolina's coast reportedly knocking out power and threatening to batter much of the East Coast.

Hurricane Irene closed in on the east coast on Friday, lashing North Carolina with ferocious winds and triggering emergency steps including unprecedented evacuations and transit shutdowns in New York.

Hurricane Irene has yet to make landfall, but barring a weather miracle, it will put a serious crimp in movie, concert and play-going.

A number of Major League Baseball games have been postponed over the weekend as Hurricane Irene moves ominously over the east cost of the United States, it was announced on Friday.

New Yorkers are bracing for the worst as Hurricane Irene rages its way up towards the eastern seaboard from North Carolina.

My Top 10 Thoughts As Storm Approaches

Hurricane Irene is barreling down New York, prompting Mayor Michael Bloomberg to declare the city's first ever mass mandatory evacuation on some areas.

U.S. air carriers have canceled nearly 5,000 flights this weekend as destructive Hurricane Irene threatens several large airports in New York and Washington.

The New York City has experienced unprecedented mandatory evacuations as part of emergency preparations on Friday as the massive Category 1 storm with a speed of 90 mph, teamed up with heavy rains, has approached.

I remain skeptical that any of this will actually occur.

The world writes Friday that New Yorkers are in a state of panic and emergency. The city is facing the threat of Hurricane Irene, and it is serious. But New York on Friday was only a picture of calm and resolve as Irene made a track toward America's largest city.

Hurricane Irene is pummeling its way up the U.S. East Coast and is expected to hit North Carolina early Saturday, then continue all the way up to New York City and even Canada.

Scenes from before the storm strikes

For the first time, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered a mandatory evacuation of 300,000 residents of the cities costal areas as Hurricane Irene barrels up the East Coast.

For the first time, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered a mandatory evacuation of 300,000 residents of the city's costal areas as Hurricane Irene barrels up the East Coast.

U.S. airlines have cut at least 1,000 flights and are moving airplanes out of the anticipated path of Hurricane Irene, while airports are taking steps to minimize damage from the storm.