Aug. 25: Five Things to Know About Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene finally moved on from the Bahamas Thursday night after delivering a brutal beating to the archipelago. As of midnight the Category 3 storm was hugging the Florida coast as it headed north.

Today we look at the five things that you should know about Hurricane Irene.

1. Projected Path: The places the storm track squarely through Long Island, with much of the East Coast in the forecast cone. At the current estimate, Irene could make landfall on Long Island at some point Sunday.
2. Possible Scenarios: If Irene continues to move west across the Chesapeake Bay and inland through Delaware and New Jersey the landfall could weaken her. The worst case scenario for Long Islanders though would be that she continues to skim the coastline, gaining strength from the warm ocean waters, and makes a direct hit on New York.
3. Prepare a Kit: If you haven't done so already, you'll want to assemble food, water and other vital supplies that will help you and your family weather Irene. to see a list of items to include in your emergency kit and local places that offer them, but hurry, stores are already starting to sell out.
4. Evacuation Plans: Nassau County already started to open some of its 25 emergency shelters Thursday to prepare for Irene, but officials says residents should consider these places a last resort. Instead have an evacuation plan if you are directed to leave your home. to learn more.
5. Stay Connected: Continue to stay with Patch throughout the weekend for updates on Hurricane Irene, including local information about closed roadways, power outages and other possible effects of the storm. Download the free Patch app for your smartphone to stay connected even if you lose power and check back for a list of important emergency contacts, links and more.