Hurricane Irene Facts for Kids

This page is about the tropical cyclone in 2011. For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Irene.

Quick facts for kids
Hurricane Irene
Meteorological history
Hurricane Irene at peak intensity over the southern Bahamas on August 24
Formed	August 21, 2011
Extratropical	August 28
Dissipated	August 30, 2011
Category 3 tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds	120 mph (195 km/h)
Lowest pressure	942 mbar (hPa); 27.82 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities	49 direct, 9 indirect
Damage	$14.2 billion (2011 USD)
Areas affected	Hispaniola, Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, Turks and Caicos, Bahamas, East Coast of the United States, Vermont (Landfalls in North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Atlantic Canada)
Part of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Irene was a very big and powerful tropical cyclone (a type of storm like a hurricane or typhoon) that caused a lot of damage. It hit many places in the Caribbean and along the East Coast of the United States in August 2011.

Irene was the ninth named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. It was also the first hurricane and the first major hurricane (meaning it was very strong) that year.

The storm started as a "tropical wave" in the Atlantic Ocean. This is like a ripple in the atmosphere that can grow into a storm. On August 20, 2011, it became Tropical Storm Irene. It quickly got stronger.

Irene first made landfall (when the center of the storm crosses land) in St. Croix. Later that day, it hit Puerto Rico. While moving over Puerto Rico, Irene grew into a Category 1 hurricane. It then moved near Hispaniola and kept getting stronger.

Before hitting the Bahamas four times, Irene reached its strongest point. It was a Category 3 hurricane with winds of about 120 miles per hour (195 km/h).

Irene's Journey: From Bahamas to New York
- Hitting the United States Coast
- Becoming an Extratropical Storm
Impact and Damage Caused by Irene
- Cost of the Storm
Images for kids
See also

Irene's Journey: From Bahamas to New York

After reaching its peak strength, Hurricane Irene started to weaken a bit. It moved through the Bahamas and then turned north. It passed east of Grand Bahama.

Hitting the United States Coast

Irene continued to get weaker. It was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane before it made landfall in the Outer Banks of North Carolina on August 27. This was the first hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Later that same day, the storm moved back into the Atlantic Ocean from southeastern Virginia. Even though it was still a hurricane over the water, it weakened into a tropical storm. It then made another landfall in Little Egg Inlet in southeastern New Jersey on August 27.

Just a few hours later, Irene made its ninth and final landfall in Brooklyn, New York City.

Becoming an Extratropical Storm

Early on August 29, Irene changed into an extratropical cyclone. This means it lost its tropical features and became more like a regular storm you might see in colder areas. This happened while it was hitting Vermont. Irene had been over land as a tropical storm for less than 12 hours before this change.

Impact and Damage Caused by Irene

Hurricane Irene caused a lot of damage and sadly led to many deaths. Across its path, at least 49 people died directly because of the storm. Another 9 deaths were indirectly related to it.

Cost of the Storm

The damage in the United States alone was estimated to be around $13.5 billion. This made Irene one of the most expensive hurricanes ever recorded in the country.

Besides the U.S., the Caribbean suffered about $830 million in losses. Canada also had about $130 million in damage. In total, the storm caused nearly $14.2 billion in damage.

Images for kids

Hurricane Irene's remnants on August 30, being absorbed by another system.
Hurricane Irene shortly after landfall in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
Satellite image of Irene making landfall in New York City.
A restaurant boards up in preparation for Irene in Ocean City, New Jersey
Grand Central Terminal stands empty following the shut down of the Metro-North Railroad.
Vessels riding out the storm in Bedford Basin near Halifax, Nova Scotia
Last radar image of Irene from San Juan, before the radar went out
Hurricane Irene's rainfall across Puerto Rico
Storm total rainfall from Hurricane Irene
Flooding at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island
A car damaged by a fallen tree in Washington, D.C.
A downed tree branch in Kutztown, Pennsylvania
The Raritan River at New Brunswick on August 29, 2011, one day after Hurricane Irene landfall
Radar image of the storm at landfall in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Irene over North Carolina on August 27.
Storm surge flooding in Centerport, New York as the eye of Irene passed near high tide.
Damage to the Port Jervis Line
A road washout in New Windsor
Sailboats broke from their moorings and washed ashore in Massachusetts
Two trees toppled by Irene in coastal Massachusetts.
Flood waters from Tropical Storm Irene on the Ottauquechee River in Quechee, Vermont.
Flood waters on the Ottauquechee River in Quechee scouring the approach to the covered bridge, opposite side.
Damage caused by flood waters to the Quechee covered bridge on the northern shore of the river.
Damage caused by flood waters on the Ottauquechee River to the Taftsville bridge.
Damage caused by flood waters on the White River to the Royalton, Vermont bridge.