This past weekend, Hurricane Irene swept up the East Coast of the U.S. The Category 1 hurricane first touched land in North Carolina. People living in Virginia to New York experienced flooding and downed trees. By the time it reached New York City and New England, Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm.

Hurricanes get weaker after they pass over land. Irene did slow down, but it remained large and destructive much longer than most hurricanes as it moved north through Vermont.

See more pictures of Hurricane Irene’s destruction on National Geographic News.

Learn more about why Hurricane Irene lasted so long on National Geographic news.

What is a hurricane? Get the scoop on this type of storm in this video on National Geographic Kids.

Photograph by Hyunsoo Leo Kim, The Virginian-Pilot/AP