(Host) Rain ahead of Hurricane Irene’s arrival in Vermont has been falling for several hours now and winds have begun to pick up.
In Bennington County, there’s already been an inch-and-a-half to two inches and some Windham County towns have had a little bit less.
There have also been some scattered power outages across the region.
The storm is predicted to be a tropical storm by the time its center hits the region. But forecasters say there will still be high winds and heavy rain.
The American Red Cross has opened shelters across the state for anyone who needs to be evacuated from low-lying areas.
In Brattleboro, elderly residents from a low-lying mobile home park spent the night at the shelter.
Forecasters also say there could be flash flooding.