(Bohemia, N.Y.) -- As Hurricane Irene heads north, the National Weather Service is reminding people that Pennsylvania could be impacted by powerful storms born in the tropics. Forecasters project the outer portions of Hurricane Irene could reach the state by Sunday. Chris Strager, director of the National Weather Service Eastern Region, says his agency is working on building a more "weather-ready" nation. "We're talking with communities, emergency management officials, how could we work with them to better prepare communities? It comes down to a lot of the individual effort and preparation as well before the storms hit. What do I have to do, what's the checklist for my family," he says. Strager, a Pittsburgh native, says 1972's Hurricane Agnes proved devastating to Pennsylvania when it stalled over the state and dumped heavy rains that led to record flooding. He says this year the country has already had nine separate weather-related disasters -- that have claimed nearly 600 lives total and caused more than $1 billion of damage in each case.