Friday Afternoon Storms Could Precede Irene's Arrival

Another tropical storm warning was issued for the area at 6:32 a.m. Friday as Hurricane Irene continues to roll toward the East Coast.

It's with lessened intensity than Thursday night, though.

and Irene was downgraded overnight to a high-end category 2 hurricane but is expected to return to a category 3 storm again later Friday, according to The Weather Channel.

The NWS also issued a flash flood watch for portions of the Washington Metropolitan area and southern Maryland.

Columbia Forecast

In Columbia, the National Weather Service calls for scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3 p.m.

Tropical storm conditions are possible for Columbia on Saturday, with a thunderstorm likely after 2 p.m. Winds will reach between 25 and 30 miles per hour with wind gusts as high as 36 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Wind speeds are expected to increase Saturday evening to between 30 and 40 miles per hour with gusts as high as 45 miles per hour. One to two inches of rain could fall in Columbia Saturday evening.

Storm conditions could continue into Sunday, but with lessened wind speeds.

Irene's Path

The center of the storm was about 660 miles south of Washington at 6 a.m. Friday, according to the NWS. That means it , or about 13.3 miles per hour according to those numbers.

Irene is expected to first make landfall on the East Coast late Saturday morning or early Saturday afternoon in North Carolina as a borderline category 2 or 3 hurricane, before heading north, reports The Weather Channel.

Preparedness

The expected wind speeds for the area could cause minor damage to older mobile homes, according to the NWS, and recommends moving loose items such as garbage cans and lawn furniture indoors. Newly planted or young trees and shrubs could be uprooted. Isolated power outages will be possible.

Tips for preparing for a hurricane are available on the FEMA website.