Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Ike is now a hurricane!

...IKE BECOMES THE FIFTH HURRICANE OF THE 2008 ATLANTIC SEASON...

AT 500 PM AST...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEARLATITUDE 21.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 52.7 WEST OR ABOUT 670 MILES...1080KM...EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH...30KM/HR....AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHTAND EARLY THURSDAY...FOLLOWED BY A TURN TO THE WEST ON THURSDAYNIGHT AND FRIDAY...TAKING IKE OVER THE OPEN WATERS OF THEWEST-CENTRAL ATLANTIC DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. IT IS TOOEARLY TO DETERMINE WHAT IF ANY LAND AREAS MIGHT EVENTUALLY BEAFFECTED BY IKE.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 80 MPH...130KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IKE IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THESAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING ISFORECAST DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES...55 KM...FROMTHE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160MILES...260 KM. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 984 MB...29.06 INCHES.

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