Tropical Storm in Inland Brunswick, North Carolina

Even though the center of Hurricane Irene passed over 100 miles east of the coast of southeastern North Carolina, its large windfield produced tropical storm force winds for nearly 24 hours as it made its landfall near Cape Lookout. The highest recorded wind gust at the Southport ASOS was 46 kts on the backside of the storm the morning of the August 27th. Rainfall amounts across the county ranged from three to four inches, with light street flooding reported. Multiple trees and power lines were blown down, leading to around 9,000 homes without power. The lowest pressure recorded at the Southport station was 981.4 millibars, about 29.00 inches.

Hurricane Irene tracked across the Bahamas and up the eastern seaboard, staying offshore until it made landfall at Cape Lookout the morning of August 27th as a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 85 mph. Because the center remained offshore, only tropical storm force winds were experienced along the coastal counties of southeast North Carolina.