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.

Upper Marlboro Forecast

In Upper Marlboro, there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon today, according to the National Weather Service. There's also a 40 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms.

Tropical storm conditions are possible for Upper Marlboro on Saturdayafter 2pm. Winds will reach 27 and 32 miles per hour, with wind gusts as high as 40 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Wind speeds are expected to increase to 48 miles per hour Saturday night, with heavy rainfall expected. Two to three inches of rainfall is possible.

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 Cost 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.