False color image of Hurricane Irene from AQUA-07, taken Aug. 26, 2011. Image Source: Dave Santek (UW/SSEC).

Hurricane Irene was the first tropical cyclone to hit the continental United States since 2008. It diminished in strength from a Category 3 hurricane to a tropical storm as it moved along the East Coast, but remained large, slow-moving and destructive. Earthzine has compiled a list of resources for those interested in examining the formation, path and aftermath of Irene.

Early warning systems and evacuations made in advance of the storm helped lessen the loss of life, and are examples of disaster management, a field profiled in Earthzine earlier this year.

The National Hurricane Center should be your first stop for up-to-date and historical information and images. Another one-stop shop is the Google Crisis Response page, with tools and resources to help crisis responders and those impacted by crises.

Weather Underground has compiled information and images on Irene, which an astronaut called ‰”terrifying‰” as viewed from the International Space Station.

Hazardous weather also is monitored at NOAA Watch, and Stormpulse and NASA have pages dedicated to hurricanes.

Ready.gov has resources on disaster preparedness as well. Hurricane season in the Atlantic runs through Nov. 30.

Hurricane Irene (Category 3) over the Bahamas, as captured Aug. 25, 2011, by the AVHRR instrument onboard EUMETSAT‘s polar-orbiting satellite, Metop-A.

Here is a hurricane preparedness checklist readers may find useful.