Any eye emerged on Hurricane Irene Tuesday evening, signaling a period of strengthening. The storm was held in check Tuesday thanks to some westerly wind shear and dry air, along with some disruption of the low-level flow thanks to the proximity to the mountainous island of Hispaniola. A turn to the northwest and north will occur between now and the end of the week, with the worst side of the hurricane impacting the Turks and Caicos overnight, then the eastern islands of the Bahamas, and eventually the Mid-Atlantic coast. We’ll keep close tabs on Irene as this will be a main headline for the next several days.