UPDATE: Irene Passes with Limited Impact on Loudoun

UPDATE 5:30 a.m. Aug. 28
The storm has moved up the coast to New Jersey and toward New York. Winds are still a bit heavy in Ashburn. While many other parts of the region and state has significant power outages, there were just isolated areas in western Loudoun without power as of 5:30 a.m., according to Dominion Virginia Power's website. NOVEC reports few outages in Loudoun as well. See how .

UPDATE Midnight Aug. 28
Anticipated rainfall tonight lowered to between a quarter- and a half-inch, with winds ranging from 31 to 34 mph. Sunday forecast still calls for wind gusts up to 43 mph, rainfall expected to be lower than one-tenth of an inch.

UPDATE 8:05 p.m. Aug. 27
For the next several hours, high wind speeds will be a hazard for Loudoun county, and residents living in low areas should be prepared for possible flooding. Winds of 28 to 36 mph are expected Saturday night, along with 1 to 2 inches of rain. Sunday winds of 23 to 26 mph are expected, with gusts of up to 43 mph.

UPDATE 7 p.m. Aug. 27
The eye of the storm was over southeast Virginia at 6:50 p.m. It's expected to be over Ocean City, MD, by about 2 a.m. Ashburn residents can likely expect to have thunderstorms and windy conditions during that time period. A Hazardous Weather Outlook remains in effect for Loudoun County. Residents should be prepared for changing conditions and power outages.

UPDATE 3:20 p.m. Aug. 27 (graphics updated at 6:39 p.m.)
The Hazardous Weather Outlook advisory remains in effect. Light rain has begun in Ashburn and the winds have picked up.

UPDATE 9:47 a.m. Aug. 27 (graphics updated at 9:47 a.m. Aug. 27)
The National Weather Service has placed Loudoun under a Hazardous Weather Outlook advisory, which refers to the latest Hurricane Statement

UPDATE 8:26 a.m. Aug. 27
Same advisories remain for Loudoun.

UPDATE 8:10 p.m.
The latest forecast calls for showers with occasional heavy downpours, but no other alerts are in effect for Loudoun. Showers are expected throughout the weekend, with a chance of thunderstorms Saturday.

Initial story:

The latest projections show Hurricane Irene passing Loudoun County to the east. However, counties to the east and south of Loudoun remain under tropical storm warnings.

Weather can always change, so residents should stay apprised of the latest conditions and Patch will try to provide the latest information until the storm has passed.

Below are tips, contact numbers and other information that readers may find useful:

POWER OUTAGES AND DOWNED POWER LINES

• Dominion Virginia Power ­– 1-866-366-4357
• NOVEC: 1-888-335-0500

PREPARING FOR POWER OUTAGES
Tips from Dominion Virginia Power

• Turn off major appliances such as heat pumps, water heaters and stoves. Unplug other appliances such as TVs, stereos, microwaves and computers. This will prevent damage to appliances and possible overloads to the company's system when power is restored.
• Post a list of contents on your freezer door to minimize the number of times you open it.
• Leave one lamp or light on so you will be able to recognize when power is restored.
• Frozen food can last up to three days. It is safe to eat if it still has ice crystals at the center.
• If using portable or camp-type stoves or lanterns for cooking and lighting, ensure that the area is adequately ventilated.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE CURRENT STORM
The National Hurricane Center’s website, www.nhc.noaa.gov.

HURRICANE PREP INFORMATION

• Familiarize yourself with the terminology:
  Flood Watch means that a flood is possible in your area;
  Flood Warning means flooding is already occurring or will occur soon in your area;
  Flash Floods can develop in a matter of minutes, so if you hear a Flash Flood Warning take action immediately.
• The Virginia Evacuation Coordination Team for Operational Response, along with the Virginia Department of Transportation, has created preparedness videos on hurricane evacuations and emergency supplies that can be viewed on YouTube or at http://www.vaemergency.com/ReadyVirginia.
• Review Hurricane Safety Checklist PDF attached to this article from the American Red Cross to prepare for the dangers of a hurricane.
• See the attached PDF checklist from www.readyvirginia.gov to ensure you have necessary supplies on hand.
• Subscribe to Alert Loudoun.

COMMUNICATION

• Charge Cell Phones and Laptops. Make sure cell phones and laptops are fully charged so they can be used in the event of a power outage.
• Text instead of using the phone when possible to conserve energy and keep communications lines open for serious emergencies.
• Follow Dominion Power (@DomVaPower) and the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region (@RedCrossNCR) on Twitter
• Check Patch's regional Facebook page for regular updates and alerts before, during and and after the storm: Northern Virginia Hurricane Irene - Patch.com