hurricane irene

Hurricane Irene batters smaller islands of Bahamas.MIAMI (AP) — Forecasters say Hurricane Irene has slowed just a bit but is still expected to rev up again when it takes aim at the East Coast and could become a Category 4 monster by Thursday.

Irene roared across the Bahamas archipelago on Wednesday, knocking down trees and destroying homes on a path that officials said posed the greatest threat to the country's smaller, less-populated islands.

There were no immediate reports of major injuries or deaths.

The National Hurricane Center early Thursday said Irene is approaching the northwestern Bahamas as a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds at 115 mph.read more

Forecasters say those fluctuations are normal but that winds will ramp up quickly over the next day.