Irene, the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season, was poised on August 26 to be the first to make land-fall in tU.S. since 2008. More than 50 million people were estimated to lie within the path of the storm.
Acquired at 2:15 p.m. EDT on August 24, 2011, this natural-color image shows Hurricane Irene over the Caribbean, en route to the continental United States.
Acquired August 22, 2011, this natural-color image shows Hurricane Irene over Puerto Rico and eastern Hispaniola, potentially en route to the continental United States.