Irene was tropical storm, not hurricane, over NJ

(AP) MIAMI — Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center now say Hurricane Irene was only a tropical storm when it made landfall in New Jersey in August.

The hurricane center occasionally upgrades or downgrades tropical storms as it reviews storm data at the end of the six-month hurricane season. Forecasters posted their report on Irene on Friday.

Irene was a Category 1 hurricane when it made landfall Aug. 27 in North Carolina. The storm made landfall again Aug. 28 near Atlantic City, N.J., where forecasters had said it was a hurricane with 75 mph winds.

After reviewing their data, forecasters have determined that Irene had weakened to a tropical storm with winds around 69 mph when it crossed New Jersey's coast. Hurricanes have top winds of at least 74 mph.