Ships flee Norfolk as Hurricane Irene nears

[lovuian]

The threat of a direct or near strike on Hampton Roads, Va., by powerful Hurricane Irene this weekend is scattering the fleet.

A total of 36 ships, including the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, were underway or in the process of leaving Naval Station Norfolk and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek on Thursday morning in order to avoid the storm, 2nd Fleet spokeswoman Cmdr. Elissa Smith said.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/08/navy-hurricane-irene-scatters-2nd-fleet-082511/

[lovuian]

1. according to this article

Irene could move up to Category 4

Pleasure craft are advised to seek safe harbor. Drawbridges may not be operating if sustained winds reach 25 mph or when an evacuation is in progress, the Coast Guard said.

2nd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Daniel Holloway said the sorties “ensure that our ships have enough time to avoid storm damage and transit out of the path of the storm, well ahead of it.”

[Broderick]

2. It has come back to the West a bit the last few updates

And it's headed right over Virginia Beach and possibly Norfolk. Could shut that area down for an extended period of time.