Winds Kicking Up, Thanks to Irene

Hurricane Irene is still a major category 3 storm as it continues to batter the Bahamas at this hour. Later today, Irene should start to make more of a northerly turn as it begins to approach the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Most of the models, take Irene up the eastern seaboard possibly affecting the Jersey Shore, NYC, and the Boston area early next week as a Tropical Storm. Here in SWFL, we are feeling minimal effects from Irene - Skytracker Doppler HD as of noon, has a few scattered showers with moderate rainfall across Lake O moving southwest into Immokalee. Winds are sustained out of the North & NE between 10 and 16 mph with higher gusts close to 25 mph. The breezy weather will continue into Friday with isolated showers/storms as Irene pulls away from the Florida peninsula.