HURRICANE

A strengthening Hurricane Irene churned on a northwest track toward the Southeast United States on Tuesday, threatening the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas with battering winds and rain and dangerous surf.

Cell phone service can become the difference between life and death during a hurricane or other natural disaster

Hurricane Irene has grown stronger, and the storm is expected to further strengthen and strike the U.S. southeast coast by the weekend, possibly as a Category 3 or Category 4 storm. More than 60 million people from Florida to New York and Massachusetts could be impacted by the powerful storm.

Hurricane Irene's path sees it strengthening up the coast into a major hurricane as it skims Florida and barrels into the Carolinas this weekend.

The projected path of Hurricane Irene shifted slightly to the west overnight, with a chance of the eye hitting around Wilmington, according to the National Hurricane Center. The National Hurricane Center says Irene will strengthen and could become a major hurricane later today or Wednesday.

Hurricane Irene has grown stronger, and the storm is expected to further strengthen and strike the U.S. southeast coast by the weekend, possibly as a Category 3 or Category 4 storm. More than 60 million people from Florida to New York and Massachusetts could be impacted by the powerful storm.

Hurricane Irene may become a Category 4 storm by the time it reaches Florida on Friday. Although the worst of the hurricane is expected to hit off the Florida coast, parts of Broward and Palm Beach Counties are still in Irene's projected path.

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Hurricane Irene continued its path of destruction on Monday with winds reaching up to 100 mph as it headed towards the U.S. The Category 2 storm left one million Puerto Rican people without power on Monday, wreaked havoc in the Dominican Republic, destroyed Richard Branson's Virgin Island home, and appears on a direct path for North and South Carolina.

Hurricane Irene, which marks the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season, is expected to hit Bahamas later today and could become a major hurricane on Tuesday, according to National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Irene is heading towards the U.S. East Coast and is forecast to make a possible landfall in mainland U.S. in Florida, Georgia or California by the end of the week.

Hurricane Irene hit the island of Hispaniola Monday, with 100 mile per hour winds and severe rain battering the Dominican Republic, but so far missing Haiti.

Hurricane Irene in 2011 is looking to be a fierce one.

Hurricane Irene, threatening to become the first hurricane to hit the United States in three years, could be the catalyst the insurance industry has been seeking in its quest for across-the-board premium increases after years of weakness.

As the forecast model matures, Hurricane Irene now appears headed on a path up Florida's east coast, with a possible direct hit on Georgia and the Carolinas. Florida is far from out of the woods, and if the storm stays on track, the state could suffer significant damage from a couple of days of torrential rains and high winds.

Hurricane Irene sustained 80 mph winds as the storm rocked the area just off the northeastern coast of Hispaniola. The National Hurricane Center expected Irene to continue gaining momentum over the next few days but by Thursday, forecasters said that it could be a major Category 3 hurricane with winds up to 115 mph.

As the forecast model matures, Hurricane Irene now appears headed on a path up Florida's east coast with a possible direct hit on Georgia and the Carolinas. Florida is far from out of the woods, and if the storm stays on track, the state could suffer significant damage from a couple of days of torrential rains and high winds

Irene could make U.S. landfall before the weekend

The bad news is that Hurricane Irene will probably strike the Florida and or the Southeast Atlantic coast. The good news is, for U.S. motorists - - the Gulf of Mexico and its important oil refinery infrastructure will be spared.

Hurricane Irene may pass off the coast of Florida, according to updated path projections from the National Weather Service. The storm is expected to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane with winds up to 115 mph.

A hurricane watch has also been issued for the central Bahamas.