NORWICH – Weather experts and emergency management officials are unsure how big of an impact Hurricane Irene will have on the Southern Tier, but they are preparing for every contingency.

Chenango could be feeling the leading edge of the slow-moving tropical storm system as early as Saturday evening. According to Emergency Management Officer Matt Beckwith, that’s when the first rain from the hurricane is expected to reach the region. The rain and wind associated with the storm will pick up into Sunday, peaking in the afternoon or evening, he explained. By Monday, it will have departed the region.

But just how much rain and wind, as well as the potential for power outages and flooding, depends on whether Hurricane Irene veers to the Northeast, or continues in a more northward direction.