County estimates Irene's impact here
By From staff reports
Published in News on August 26, 2011 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MICHAEL K. DAKOTA
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base evacuated 68 aircraft to get them out of the way of the approaching storm. The predicted path of Hurricane Irene had officials worried enough to take the safety precautions.
Wayne County emergency personnel continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Irene. In a briefing late Thursday, Mel Powers, emergency management and security director for Wayne County, said the latest forecast showed that Wayne County could expect rain to begin late Friday night, with some wind activity beginning Saturday morning.
At this point, winds in Wayne County are not expected to be more than 35 miles per hour, and the total rainfall predicted is around 3 inches.
However, Powers said that if the hurricane "wobbled" to the west at all, that forecast could change to a total rainfall amount of 6 inches and wind activity could also increase.
The county has decided to close the landfill and convenience centers, the animal shelter, the library and the airport Saturday. Gateway will also be closed.
Another briefing was expected to be held today to determine if there will be a need for shelters. If they open, they will be at Spring Creek High School, Carver Elementary and the Salvation Army building.