NEW JERSEY

Hurricane Irene could end up closing refineries on the East Coast, which are concentrated in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, in anticipation for the storm's arrival, analysts say. Irene has been putting a beating down on the Bahamas for about two days. Structural damages, blocked roads and power outages have been reported in the southeastern islands.

Category 3 Hurricane Irene is gaining momentum and seemingly heading right for the city that never sleeps, and the potential exists -- in addition to risks to human life -- for major damage to New York's dwellings/infrastructure and economy.

Hurricane Irene continued its path of destruction towards the East Coast on Thursday -- posing extreme danger to some of the country's largest cities.

Hurricane Irene poses an extraordinary threat to virtually upper half of the U.S. East Coast, threatening to become a storm of a lifetime. The major Category 3 storm has the potential to further strengthen before making landfall, and major metropolitan areas from Norfolk to New York and Boston face a threat of rare storm potency.

Irene is expected to make landfall in New Jersey on Sunday morning as a Category 2 hurricane, with sustained winds between 96 and 110 miles per hour. Experts say it could be the worst storm ever to hit New Jersey.

Hurricane Irene is shaping up to be the U.S. east coast storm of a lifetime. Officials say Irene poses an extreme threat to areas from North Carolina to to southern New England through the end of the weekend. The major Category 3 storm has the potential to further strengthen before making landfall, and major metropolitan areas from Norfolk to New York and Boston face a threat of rare storm potency.

The 115 mph Category 3 storm is expected to hit North Carolina's Outer Banks Saturday afternoon. The hurricane will then creepy up the Eastern Seaboard.

While no one can know ahead of time just how much destruction a Category 3 Hurricane like Irene will do, specialty companies that specialize in catastrophic risk analysis are armed with historical data as well as links to national computer centers that track the storm in real time.

Gathering strength as she morphs into a major Category 4 storm, Hurricane Irene continues her assault threat on the East Coast. But even she can't slow preparations for NASA's upcoming launches from Florida's Space Coast, including a moon-studying mission slated to start Sept. 8, the space agency said.

Maryland governor Martin O'Malley declared a state of emergency on Thursday ahead of incoming Hurricane Irene, which continues to batter the Caribbean region.

Several shows have been postponed or rescheduled as a result of the impending storm.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told New Yorkers to be vigilant as Hurricane Irene whirls towards the city, warning that some low-lying and coastal areas might be evacuated.

Hurricane Irene threatens to batter the U.S. East Coast, perhaps making a direct strike on New York City, as sharpened forecast models show the storm has the makings of the hurricane of a lifetime for Mid-Atlantic and Northeast areas. A major Category 3 storm that could strengthen before making landfall this weekend, one weather source called Hurricane Irene a serious, significant event. The storm holds the potential, forecasters say, to wreak havoc along the East Coast, with torrential ...

“Since Irene is such a large tropical cyclone, significant impacts are likely along the United States East Coast.

As Hurricane Irene threatens to lash the U.S. East Coast this weekend, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has signed a declaration of emergency in order to mobilize the National Guard in preparation for the storm.

Hurricane Irene's path could go three ways as it moves north toward the New York area, and none of them are good. The most likely scenario, based on current projections, is Irene making landfall on Long Island or in Connecticut and then moving north through western Massachusetts.

Hurricane Irene’s path strengthened to a Category three hurricane overnight and hit the southeastern Bahamas hard on Wednesday.

Hurricane Irene continues on its path of destruction towards the U.S., setting its aim on North Carolina and the Northeast this weekend.

In the annals of natural disasters, it doesn't get much worse than a major hurricane directly striking New York City and Long Island.

Hurricane and tropical storm watches were issued for the Carolinas early Thursday as Hurricane Irene moved over the northwestern Bahamas, the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Irene's projected path is expected impact almost the entire East Coast.