Send us your photos as Irene blows through

If you have stories or photos to pass on about Hurricane Irene as it approaches the region tonight and crosses western Long Island tomorrow please send them to us at [email protected].

Top winds in Norfolk, Virginia as the eye of the storm passed to the east were 45 knots or about 5o mph, according to the report for the airport there. The peak gust reported in North Carolina during the day was 87 mph.

Although the winds from Irene may not be as severe as feared, there is still concern about the potential for flooding, especially during high tide Sunday mid-morning. Also, the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Long Island and other parts of the New York metropolitan area through tonight as bands of heavy rain move into the area.