Prepare for Irene, EMO says

Nova Scotia's Emergency Management Office is advising people to get ready for hurricane season.

Hurricane Irene was weakening Tuesday evening, but is threatening the U.S.  and could affect Nova Scotia. The Canadian Hurricane Centre is forecasting it will hit the mid-Atlantic states on Sunday afternoon, if it continues on its current course and speed.

Irene may arrive in Canada between late Sunday and Tuesday, and hit anywhere between Montreal and Newfoundland.

It's too soon to determine if Irene will hit, and when and where, but Michelle Perry, a spokeswoman for the EMO, said Nova Scotians  shouldn't wait until a hurricane is nearing.

Every home should have an emergency kit, and homeowners should ensure that loose branches on nearby trees are trimmed so they don't turn into dangerous projectiles, she said. 

Chris Fogarty of the Hurricane Centre in Dartmouth said Irene is similar to Hurricane Earl, which left thousands of Nova Scotians without electricity last September.

The same thing could happen late this weekend, if the storm gains power by remaining over warm waters. But if it turns inland in the United States, the winds will drop, Fogarty said.