tracking irene's path. >> all right. let's take a look at the location. take a look at the graphic. 2:00, actually, the wind came down just a little bit from last night. down to 115 miles per hour. still a category 3 storm, heading off now to the north/northwest and a little faster, at 14 miles an hour. you can see, it's almost due east of miami. late this afternoon, or southeast of miami. eventually, looks like north carolina gets a category 3 storm. by the time it hits the maryland coast, still may be a category 2 or very strong category 1 storm, which means probably about 90 miles per hour. the key, however, is exactly where is the center of the storm going to be? because the strongest winds are just east and center. and as you can see, the model, still have it just offshore. hopey there it goes a little further to the east. but looks like it may be a direct hit from the storm. maybe in southern new jersey. perhaps even new york city area and central portions of long island, connecticut and up into massachusetts as well. now, as far as the worst effects for us. looks like the strongest winds down in ocean city. they could see wind gusts over 80 miles an hour. here in the maryland area, central maryland. look for winds 40 to 50. maybe gusting to 54. chances of 3 to 6 inches of rain. that's going to be between 2:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon sunday. then quick clearing. i think the big question is, exactly what is going to happen in the chesapeake bay? will there be major flooding? or will it be blowing outside? this is a tricky forecast. i think sometime saturday morning, we'll have close to flood warnings going on, at least on the western side of the bay. certainly along the ocean front area, there will be major erosion, and major flooding down along the shore of ocean city area, rehoboth and virginia as well. we'll come back and look at the storm shortly. live first warning weather coverage continues with monique griego. monique has more on evacuations that have already been ordered on the eastern shore. >> reporter: just a short time ago, governor o'malley declared a state of emergency in anticipation of major flooding and storm damage. over on the eastern shore, ocean city has issued a mandatory evacuation, beginning at midnight. after that, any nonemergency personnel will be turned away. the mayor is banning the sale of alcohol and wants all business closed at midnight. ocean city is bracing for the possibility of a 5-foot storm surge. and up to 10 inches of rain. and here in baltimore, the city is already giving out sandbags in area prone to flooding. and you may find parking restrictions in neighborhoods like fells point, depending on the strength of that storm. >> hundreds of thousands of people are scrambling to leave coastal areas in florida, before irene makes landfall. first warning coverage continues with karen brown, who has more on the massive evacuation plan under way now. >> reporter: like thousands of others, helena stevens and her two boys are on the run from hurricane irene. >> may we get through. and to think that things might not be okay. >> reporter: they've packed up their important things. >> what you got there? >> reporter: but left dad behind. back on ocacoke island, now in the crosshairs of irene's path. he is staying to help protect their family hotels and their home, which has withstood every storm for 130 years. >> whatever happens, it will be all right. >> reporter: but authorities all along the eastern seaboard aren't taking any chances. north carolina, virginia, and new jersey, have declared states of emergency. >> anyone who has shore rentals, or who are planning to go to the shore this weekend, do not go. >> reporter: the 35,000 residents who live here in the outer banks year round, have now been ordered to leave by tomorrow morning. and folks like these gentlemen are working frantically to protect their homes and their businesses before they head inland. >> reporter: irene is now hammering the bahamas, as a strong category 3 storm. it's on track to reach north carolina by early saturday morning. then head north, hugging the entire east coast. it could become the biggest storm to hit the northeast since the 1950s. >> this is going to have to be watched very closely. and people are going to have to be ready to act in the next 24 to 48 hours. >> reporter: forecasters warn, irene could still be a category 1 or 2 storm by the time it reaches new england sunday. in kill devil hills, north carolina, karen brown, wjz eyewitness news. >> stay with wjz for first warning weather coverage. for the latest on irene's track and its potential impact on the u.s. and maryland, log onto wjz.com, and click on the special section at the top of our home page. we're getting a preview of this weekend today, with heavy rains in parts of our state. a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect right now. a live look outside shows us that we haven't seen much sun today. marty bass is in the first warning weather center, tracking live doppler radar. >> hello, everyone. let's go to first warning doppler radar. we have light shower activity in the area right now. but as we span the picture out, you can see our heavier returns to the south. and that's where we have the bulk of our watches. this goes through 9:00. let's take a look at the watch, warning. all with the same or severe thunderstorm watch. anne arundel, calvert, charles, somerset. st. maybey's, wicomico and worcester county. a southern county event. here in baltimore, got a big football game tonight. ravens playing the redskins. and frank needs to go back to first warning doppler radar. it's not going to be great weather. but we might not have a ton of rain down on russell street. i don't think we can give the all-clear on the football game, though, until at least the second half. morefirst warning weather coming up for you shortly. now, we'll throw it back to you. round 2, a strong aftershock from tuesday's region rattles our area overnight, stirring some people from their sleep. mike hellgren is in mount vernon with the latest for us. >> reporter: we know earthquakes are rare in this area. this building built in 1829. it was on a list of buildings wjz wanted to inspect. and they found it was in great shape. >> inspectors checked out baltimore's national monument, after the largest aftershock to hit. one of five since the earthquake tuesday. they found nothing wrong. the aftershock was 4.5 in magnitude. and the u.s. geological survey got more than 6,000 reports from people who felt it. many, though, were sleeping when the trembler shook the ground. >> basically, we're looking at cracks, any debris that falls offer the building, and broken windows or if the door jambs have been adjusted, things like that. >> reporter: and the aftershock early this morning was really the only one people in our area have felt. both the aftershock and that earthquake were centered in mineral, virginia, more than 150 miles from baltimore. at the washington monument, mike hellgren, wjz eyewitness news. >> and this is the largest earthquake to hit maryland in 60 years. be sure to stay with wjz for continuing updates on the east coast, earthquakes and any aftershocks. the baltimore orioles and their fans are still reeling from the sudden death of mike flanagan. the body of the oriole great was found in baltimore county. police now confirm flanagan died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and say the suicide is related to financial pressures. his teammates talked about the influence he had on people around him. >> i'm sorry for being emotional, but this is part of being my age and having the chance to be with guys this special. that's pretty much all i have to say. it's devastating. >> reporter: flanagan spent 25 years with the team as a player, coach, executive, and a broadcaster. mike flanagan was 59 years old. a baltimore county woman is killed when an overnight fire rips through her home. emergency crews were called to the house in the 2200 block of aletta avenue in lansdowne. firefighters found a woman's body inside. a man was rushed to a nearby hospital. the firefighter was also hospitalized, bihe's expected to recover. well, all of this rain outside today, making for slick road conditions. let's check in now with kristy breslin. >> hi, mary. hi, everyone. actually, a couple of problems out there already. southbound on the jones falls expressway. we have an accident there that will catch your eye. delaywise, 20 minutes on the north side inner loop, from greenspring avenue to harford road. and the north side outer loop, also slowing there as you make your approach to york road. average speed at this point, about 30 miles per hour. moving to the west side outer loop, bumper to bumper there, from 795 to baltimore national pike. and 70 continues to struggle in both directions. westbound heavy from 29 to marriottsville road. and eastbound heavy toward the beltway. as far as other accidents go, glen burnie, and a couple in baltimore city. greenmount at east 21st. bayard at ridgely. also, east madison at north caroline. we have heavy congestion on the north side, at dulaney valley road. this traffic report is brought to you by cirque du soleil. you can get your tickets at cirque du soleil.com. back over to you. >> thank you. we are counting down the hours until the ravens take on the redskins in the battle of the belts. we all know that ravens fans are the best in the nfl. but not everyone agrees. at the purple palace, excitement is at a fevered pitch. baltimoreans love ravens. but not everyone thinks we are the most fantastic in the nfl. redskins cornerback josh wilkens says there is no comparison between the fans and the rivals. they, meaning us fans, have nowhere near the tradition of the redskins fans, but the ravens have a strong base up there. they're growing and getting the kind of establishment the redskins already have. >> reporter: at just a minutey's -- >> he belongs on their team if he feels that way. >> fans are fired up will. >> when is the last time he got one? >> when the ravens lose, it's like -- it's like a kick in the face. >> look what we have been through. and we have stood by our men. >> reporter: ravens fans insist we have more heart and loyalty and say wilkins' move to washington is his loss. >> >> i told him, he should have stayed with the ravens, if he wanted to get any chance to get near the super bowl. >> every bar is packed with ravens fans. i'm jessica kartalija, wjz eyewitness news. and the ravens' preseason game is tonight. see the ravens take on the redskins and the fans. special coverage begins tonight, live here on wjz 13. i was going to say, fans are going to get r and r, ravens and redskins. but now they're going to get r, r, and r. >> give it to me? >> redskins, ravens and rain. >> exactly. still ahead on eyewitness news at 4:00. severe asthma can be a killer. how a revolutionary procedure could provide a breath of fresh air. survival story. an oregon boy provides 15 minutes under water. we'll have the latest on his incredible recovery. and twitter has now officially worked its way into the english language. we'll explain coming up. and before irene hits, we have more severe weather to deal with first. bob has our updated first warning forecast coming up. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, a fiery explosion is no longer looming over a california neighborhood. thousands are returning to their home in lincoln. after they were able to get over a tanker overnight. you can see it originally caught fire on tuesday. a jetway collapses on tuesday in california. it happened at los angeles international airport as passengers were exiting the plane. the two fell about 10 feet when a portion of the tunnel that connects the plane to the terminal collapsed. did apple take a bite out of the stock market? [ stock bells ringing ] stocks were down today, but apparently not because of steve jobs stepping down. the dow was down 171 points. s&p off 18. nasdaq down 48. let's go to new york right now, alexis christoforous has tonight's cbs money watch update. >> reporter: the stock market's three-day winning streak has come to an end. but bank stocks gained ground, after billionaire investor warren buffet said he'll invest $5 billion in struggling bank of america. that sent stocks up. others were also higher. investors soured, but only slightly on apple stock. it fell about 1%. as people wonder what will happen to apple's ceo, steven jobs resigned. he founded the company when he was 21. the unemployment level rose to the i highest -- highest level. but that was due to verizon's striking workers. and delta airlines says it's buying 100 boeing 737 jets as part of an upgrade of its fleet. the deal is valued at $8.5 billion. the planes will give travelers a roomier cabin, less engine noise, and more room in overhead bins. and that's your money watch. for more, stay with cbsmoneywatch.com. at the new york stock exchange, i'm alexis christoforous. here is something to tweet about. tweet as earned a spot in the meriam webster collegiate dictionary. used as both a thown and a ver -- a noun and a verb. it is in the publisher's newest edition. other terms include helicopter parents, cougar, bromance, and fist bump. >> i always laugh at those. because they don't feel like they should be in the dictionary. >> something wrong. but what are you going to do? coming up on wjz eyewitness news at 4:00. casey anthony begins her probation with special precautions in safe to keep her safe. the phone hacking investigation. the news of the world scandal won't go away. and now the u.s. department of justice is getting involved. a severe thunderstorm watch in effect for parts of central maryland now. bob has the latest on that and the path of hurricane irene coming up. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, i know we're watching hurricane irene. but today was a crazy day here. >> it was a good thing. looked like most of the energy for the sunny storm this afternoon is now well to the south. and shouldn't be too many issues. looks like a scattered shower the next day or two. severe thunderstorm watches in effect. until 8:00 tonight. let's take a look around the region. at been a lot cooler than we expected. only mid-70s. no wind now. the barometer holding steady. 79, easton. it's warmer down here. and that's why there is still some instability. now, the sun did come out west of us. 86. dew point way up to 73. still a risk of a shower or thundershower yet this evening. but the bulk of the activity has shifted south of the baltimore washington area. let's go right to this. category 3. yesterday, they were at 120 or so. south picked up a little speed. it's pretty much due east of the florida coast. and florida has not going to get a whole lot. maybe a little extreme rain over the next several hours. now, by saturday morning, the storms expected to be somewhere around the carolina coast. probably a category 3 storm. that's not good. and eventually coming up sunday morning, as a strong category 2 storm. not a good thing. the only caveat to that is, the strongest winds are to the east of the center of the storm. that means the bulk of the strongest activity it will be out over the city. ocean city could see wind gusts up to 90 miles per hour. and up to our north, jersey, connecticut. they could see a really full- blown, land-falling hurricane by sometime early on sunday. so the area west of the bay, the baltimore region. look for winds to be nearly 40 to 60. and maybe a gust in some areas, east of us, 65. 3 to 6 inches of rain. this is from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. saturday. from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. sunday. strongest winds, south and east of us are along the coast to the north of us. with major flooding there. that will be sunday. rain here yes. easy 4 to 6 inches of rain. a lot of storms but during the afternoon, things beginning to break down somewhat. you can see across the baltimore region. not all of that activity. it's all down to the south and east of us now. so the front goes through. then we watch how you move up the coast. and you see the depiction just east of that region, by late sidesaturday night. and on sunday, beginning to move out. northeast winds, no problem, at 5 knots on the bay. tonight, scattered showers. most of the activity sout of us. 69, a warm night tomorrow. mid-80s, maybe a pop-up shower or thundershower tomorrow. tomorrow, looks like a lot quieter day today and especially a lot quieter in the weekend. the main rain coming in saturday night into sunday noon. >> all right, bob. thank you. stay with wjz for complete coverage on the latest on irene's track. and it's potential impact on the u.s. and maryland. click on the special section at the top of our home page. lots more ahead. treating asthma. how a minimally-invasive treatment is giving patients a new lease on life. and hurricane irene is making a beeline for the coast. wjz eyewitness news continues ,, it is 4:30. 75 degrees, with light showers right now. hello. thanks for staying with eyewitness news. vic is off today. here's what people are, indeed, talking about. here comes irene. a state of emergency is in effect right now in maryland, as we wait for the wrath of powerful hurricane irene. irene roared through the bahamas earlier today, with a category 3 storm, with 115-mile- per-hour winds. there was widespread damage and power outages. and hurricane irene is a massive storm. 800 miles across. as you can see from this nasa satellite photograph, tropical storm force winds are being felt more than 150 miles away from the center of the storm. wjz has extensive first warning weather coverage. bob has the latest now on irene's track. bob? >> i don't want you to see this is 800 miles of storm. it is about 250 to 300 miles. winds are blowing. tropical storm force winds do extend out 150 to 200 miles. right now, take a look at the storm. it's located about 610 miles sout of the cape hatteras, north carolina. and it's moving now to the north/northwest. the speed of the hurricane, actual winds in there. around the eye. it hasn't picked up yet. but tomorrow, it's likely to get to a category 4. probably 120 to 125 miles per hour, at least temporarily. as far as the tracks are concerned, the models still have the storm, the standard of the storm are off the atlantic ocean. very close to the atlantic coast. probably cape hatteras may get slammed. and ocean city, the storm could be focused there by saturday night and early on sunday. for our region, looks like 8:00 saturday night to 10:00 saturday night, to about 2:00 to 4:00 sunday afternoon. that's when we'll figure out the worst effects of our region. baltimore area, winds of 40 to 50 expected. maybe a couple of gusts of 55 to 60 miles an hour. and 3 to 6 inches of rain. that means we're going to see flooding. we're going to have power outages. and there's probably going to be a lot of coastal flooding issues. either on the bay. there could be major issues down along the beaches this weekend. of course, we'll update the forecast for you. we'll have the new update for you around 5:00. now, while irene's path is uncertain, maryland is preparing for potential destruction and power outages. ocean city is activating phase 2 of its hurricane action plan. ocean city is enforcing a mandatory evacuation of all nonemergency personnel. the sale of alcohol is banned. and all businesses are being asked to close at midnight. ocean city's mayor wants the town empty by 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. ted scouten has more on the storm's impact in the bahamas. >> reporter: when irene blew into nassau, there was no question that the storm had arrived. some hurricane force wind gusts blew through. a big surprise to some people. >> ever hear any noises, any time the wind would really whip up your hair, the windows would shake, the floor would shake? >> reporter: that wind also brought incredible waves, crashing to shore. it's rough seas like this that have some people worried about flooding storm surge. on the streets, downed trees made driving difficult. it was like an obstacle course. >> what was it like driving around? whoo! >> reporter: this man drove to work, battling the heavy winds and fallen trees. >> some downed trees, basically. utility poles and stuff like that. a lot of traffic lights are down in the area. i didn't see any serious structural damage. >> and that was ted scouten, reporting from the bahamas. stay with wjz for complete coverage of irene. for the storm's latest track and its potential impact on the u.s. and maryland, log onto wjz.com, and click on the special section at the top of our home page. it it -- is a wet day across maryland now. there is a severe thunderstorm warning. it's been raining on and off all day. some storms may be severe. marty bass has a look at first warning weather, live doppler radar. let's go to first warning doppler. we've had showers and thunderstorms in the area. through the day. ever since jessica kartalija and i were doing the morning edition. notice how the bulk of the energy with this current passage is down to our south. and as we take a look at the watch warning and advisory, you'll note that through 9:00 tonight, 2100 hours, that the counties affected are all southern. anne arundel, carver, charles, somerset, st. mary, wicomico and worcester. this isn't until 9:00. there's a severe thunderstorm watch. we also have buried behind all of the colors of watches and warnings, a flood watch through midnight in the area. because of rain having fallen and rain expected to fall. now, here locally, we've got the ravens playing the skins tonight. down at the coliseum. they showed light rains pressing across the area. i think there will be rain falling during the game, but not necessarily thunderstorms around the stadium region. i don't think our 7:30 show will be impacted by any terribly foul weather. first warning details. more radar coming up. now, back to you. casey anthony begins her one-year probation for a bad check conviction in florida. kai is live to explain how they are working to keep casey anthony safe. >> where she is and how she is keeping her probation is being kept quiet. she received many death threats. for her safety, her probation information will not be entered into the state computers, nor will her probation officer's name be made public. a spokesperson says anthony will not be treated any differently than any other offender. >> anthony must pay $20 a month to the state of florida and cannot possess a firearm. did the u.k. hacking scandal reach the families of the september 11th victims. they met with eight families about a report in a london newspaper. >> if you see somebody trying to make money, while something like this is unconscionable. and i hope that they fully investigate it. i believe tathey will investigate it. >> reporter: the allegations of 9/11 victim phone and computer hacking surfaced in the british media. it is the latest twist in the scandal that has already closed the 108-year-old news of the world. tensions of building in libya today, as rebel forces say they are closing in on moammar gadhafi. the dictator now has a price on his head. >> reporter: libyan rebels are waging war on die-hard fighters, loyal to moammar gadhafi. they've surrounded buildings near the colonel's compound. rebels believe he and his sons are hiding in a hole. one fighter vows, we will finish this today. a pro-gadhafi tv channel broadcast a new message from the colonel. he said they must fight and destroy rebels who have taken over tripoli. it is unclear if the message is lied or taped. some libyans can't wait for his four-decade-long reign to and to an end. >> 42 years. >> reporter: rebel forces say they have captured the city's airport, after an intense gun battle. they found a multiple rocket launcher on the runway. they say gadhafi's fighters have aimed at downtown tripoli. nato is helping in the hunt for the colonel and what is left in his war machine. >> this is a very well-supplied regime, which is likely to have pockets of resistance for sometime now. >> reporter: the city's main hospital has been inundated with victims of the violence. >> reporter: they're working around the clock, and saving lives, but not all of them. many are victims of lethal snipers still holed up in the city. rebels say one of their piggest targets -- biggest targets now is gadhafi's home town of sever. they -- serf. they think gadhafi loyalists are regrouping there for one last stand. >> the head of libya's rebel council says he welcomes negotiations with any of gadhafi's fighters to avoid any more bloodshed. it is being cauld a miracle. -- called a miracle. a young boy turned water for 15 minutes before being rescued. >> reporter: the 12-year-old boy is out of a portland hospital already. wjz first showed you the dramatic pictures when dale otrender was pulled lifeless from the pacific ocean earlier this month. otrender was on an outing with a local church when a rip current pulled him under water. his friends dropped to the sand and prayed for rescuers to find him. when he woke up and spoke, he is said to be doing puzzles and saying simple phrases. >> he is now in a facility close to his home and will likely be released on an outpatient basis soon. one hot suv. and for some, that could mean stolen. for the fourth year in a row, the escalade is the most stolen vehicle in the u.s. the highway loss data institute says theaves -- thieves steal or break into one out of 10 escalades on the road. if you're waiting for someone to get home from work, here's kristy breslin. >> hi, denise. hi, everyone. a couple of problems out there for 95 in both directions. southbound, we have an accident there on washington boulevard, on the southwest side. northbound seeing delays there. about 15 minutes to get through. as far as beltway delays go, 20 minutes around the top side of the inner loop, from greenspring avenue to harford road. and on the west side inner lap, another 20 minutes there, from wilkens avenue to liberty road. foe improvements to speak of on the west side inner loop. 795 to the baltimore national pike. that would take another 20 minutes to get through. and still having problems. also, very slow as you make your way to the beltway in the eastbound direction. as far as accidents go, harford county, bel air, emerson road. and baltimore city, north charles at steveson lane. let's take a live look. you can see things pretty slow there. and we'll take another live look. looks like an easy, 895 south of shell road. if you or someone you know has suffered a personal injury, call 1-800 the firm, or visit them online. back to you. >> thank you, kristy. in tonight's wjz health watch report, severe asthma. it is a chronic lung disease that can be deadly. dr. jennifer ashton reports, there is a new treatment raising hope. >> swimming is a huge part of my life. i don't remember what i was like before i was a swimmer. >> reporter: stephanie manicis is a severe competitor in the pool. that drive to succeed has forced her to excel, despite her asthma. >> sometimes i can get a breath, sometimes i can't. and i don't decide when it happens. >> reporter: stephanie is not alone. more than 40 million americans have been diagnosed with severe asthma. more than 450,000 are hospitalized each year and more than 3,000 die. her asthma took a turn for the worst after her lungs ruptured after a college swim practice, her doctor said it would be too dangerous for her to compete again. >> i thought my career was over. >> reporter: that was something her mother laura refused to accept. >> it was frustrating. but i had to find a way to help her. >> reporter: that way was a brand new procedure for people with severe asthma, called bronchial thermoplasty. we watched as his team performed the procedure on stephanie. using a bronco scope, the doctor applies thermal energy to the wall. that makes the muscle around the airway, dysfunctional, decreasing the airway's ability to constrict. and that reduces at this time frequency of asthma attack. patients in the clinical trial received a 32% reduction in asthma attacks, an 84% reduction in emergency room visits and 73% reduction in hospitalization. >> when you can't breathe, if you can just improve a person's quality of life that centers around their breathing, it's very satisfying. >> reporter: that was dr. julie ashton reporting. after three procedures, stephanie is now breathing easier. she hopes to rejoin her swim team in the fall and run the chicago marathon. coming up, incredible video today of a police cruiser hit head-on by a drunk driver. and strong storms could roll through the state tonight. your updated first warning weather forecast is ahead. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, we are continuing to follow the preparations under way, as hurricane irene slowly makes its way toward maryland. on the phone now is ocean city rick meehan. hello, mayor. are you there? >> denise, i am. >> i think a lot of people are surprised to hear of all of the very serious preparations are you taking. obviously, the information leads you to believe that you cannot take this storm likely. exactly what are you doing? >> well, you're correct. we're not taking it lightly. and we're weighing on the side of public safety here. and we have just gone past the declaration, we are going to declare a mandatory evacuation. first, we're going to ask our visitorsors to return to their place of primary residence. then we'll ask our residents here in ocean city to seek shelter off the island. >> when are visitors being asked to leave? right now? >> yes. that word went out at about 2:00 this afternoon. so we're getting that message across. we do have a window here to allow for safe order, evacuation. and because of the intensity of this, we deemed that this was a necessary course of action to take. >> reporter: and of course, it may seem premature. because the storm isn't supposed to impact your area until saturday, correct? >> that is correct. but the hurricane forced winds extend out. so we want to make sure people that do eat and are traveling can do it during a time that is safe as well. we also want to make sure we get the point across that this is a very serious situation. and we need people to act and react correctly. >> reporter: when is the last time ocean city had to do something this dramatic. >> denise, last time we evacuated ocean city was in 1985, during hurricane gloria. >> wow. >> so it's been quite a while. and we have been very fortunate. but the track of this storm is heading right for us. it's a very intense storm. and i don't think it's something we can take lightly. >> all right. we had a graphic up that shows you are also banning the sale of alcohol and telling businesses to close at midnight tonight. the alcohol sale is to keep everyone obviously sober. >> yes. at 12:00 tonight, we'll stop the sale of alcohol. businesses beginning to close. we'll also close the beach tonight at 12:00, begin to close the inland parking lot. we need to get the message across. it's really difficult when you walk outside right now, and it's sunny and beautiful, to really even imagine what type of storm is coming our way. so we need to get that point across to our visitors. >> well, our thoughts are with you. we will talk to you again, i'm sure, over the next few days. we thank you very much for talking with us. and good luck with this mass exodus of ocean city. >> well, thank you, denise. and i'm sure we'll be open for business again soon. >> i know you will. thank you very much. >> that was the mayor of ocean city talking to us live. we'll get a preview of hurricane irene with wet weather. but nonetheless, it's giving us a taste. bob turk has the comp,,,,,,,,,,, ache a look at radar. portions over southern maryland. portions of st. mary's county, strong storms in the upper eastern shore. around portions of kent and north and queen anne's county. strongest activities across portions of charles county. nothing in the baltimore region, except a couple of showers in south of the city. we're at 75 now. still warmer down to the south. and that's why the wjz thunderstorms will have a lot more sunshine. dew points way up there, at 73. let's go right to the storm. 5:00 update, just coming in. i just know that it hasn't changed. so the same information, except for that time. still category 3. moving off to the north/northwest. i notice the pressure hasn't gone down since this afternoon. 951 millibar. it's located, south of cape hatteras. and looks like cape hatteras is going to see this, as well as portions of southern jersey, maybe even new york and long island, before it's all said and done. areas to the east and north of us could really get hammered. just east of the center of the storm. that's where the strongest range is going to be. they could see wind gusts there, between 60 and 80. and maybe gusts to 90 or even higher. now, they still have the tracks over the ocean, with the strongest winds east of the center. in our part of the world, baltimore area, washington, annapolis, looking for wind gusts, generally between 40 and 50. and maybe a wind gust to 55 or 60 at times. and that's going to pull some trees out. there will be power outages. there may be coastal flooding on the southern portion of the bay. and definitely along the coastal areas. it's hard to say right now, whether the water is going to be pushed up the bay or when the storm passes, it may actually drain the bay behind it. it's something we'll have to watch. but looks like we'll have a real mess, from 8:00 to 10:00, saturday night, to about 2:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon, on sunday. once again, major flooding to our north. may see 36 inches of rain here. the strongest activity along the eastern shore, a little skinny line there, up portions of new england. west of our region, west of the blue ridge mountains, not too bad at all. out in pittsburgh, probably won't see much of anything. this afternoon, the front is coming through with thunderstorms as we told you. then we'll be watching irene move up the atlantic coast, overnight into friday, saturday and sunday. take a look at the forecast now. you can see that low. there it is. there's the storm off the atlantic coast, by saturday afternoon, saturday night, into sunday morning. and then it heads up toward the area. winds not a factor. northeast at 5 knots. 81 degrees, bay temperatures. 69 is the temperature overnight. maybe a shower in a few spots. and a chance of a shower or thundershower tomorrow, with the high in the mid-80s. and we'll be ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, next on wjz eyewitness news. hurricane irene hit the bahamas, now it is on its way toward the u.s. the first warning weather team is tracking it all. i'm mike schuh, remembering mike flanagan, when eyewitness news continues. it is purple thursday. the ravens getting ready for the redskins. what the team is saying about from season -- preseason game number 3. check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news. eyewitness news at 5:00 starts now. hi, everybody. i'm kai jackson. i'm mary bubala. here's what people are talking about. get out now. ocean city issues a powerful hurricane evacuation order. and tropical storm watches and hurricane watches are now posted for parts of maryland. right t