Hurricane Irene 2011 From Space

Though Irene spared Florida from a direct hit, its outernmost rainbands produced squalls and intermittent torrents along the state's eastern coastlines. Brisk winds produced scattered power outages and waves reaching as high as 12 ft (3.7 m); rough surf in the Boynton Inlet injured at least eight people, and two surfers were killed offshore Volusia County. Elsewhere in Lantana, large waves sweeping over seawalls went on to destroy a lifeguard tower. Localized beach erosion was also reported, although it was not significant. Onshore, comparatively light winds brushed the state; the Lake Worth pier reporting a peak gust of 40 mph (65 km/h), with the Palm Beach International Airport recording winds of no more than 31 mph (50 km/h). Precipitation in the area was also light, with a peak accumulation of 2.67 inches (68 mm) recorded at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. Further north in Melbourne, rainfall from the storm totaled no more than 1.31 inches (33 mm) on August 24.
Owing to its unusually large windfield, Irene affected long stretches of South Carolina coastlines with gusts and sporadic showers, even though it remained offshore. Gale-force winds picked up through the Lowcountry during the afternoon of August 26, with a gust of 55 mph (89 km/h) measured at a coastal marine observing site on Folly Island. Scattered power outages left over 4,000 residences in the dark, mostly due to toppled utility poles. The winds also felled trees and generated rough surf along Charleston County coastlines, and minor beach erosion was noted. Elsewhere in that county, a downed tree trapped several people in their vehicle, but they were all rescued.
• North Carolina
In North Carolina, tropical-storm-force winds began to affect the Outer Banks hours before landfall, producing waves of 6–9 ft (1.8–2.7 m). In addition to the gales, Irene spawned several tornadoes early on August 27 while approaching the coast. No regular weather station or buoy, however, measured sustained hurricane-force winds from the storm, with the highest winds officially recorded at 67 mph (107 km/h) by a buoy near Cape Lookout. Precipitation totals from Irene in the region were particularly high, ranging between 10–14 inches (250–360 mm); Bunyan recorded a peak amount of approximately 14 inches (360 mm).