Florida keeps eye on Hurricane Hanna, Tropical Storm Ike
In an already crowded storm season, Hurricane Hanna could make its way toward South Florida this week.
Fay soaked us, Gustav missed us, and now we’ll see what Hanna and Ike have in store for South Florida.Hurricane Hanna emerged Monday over the Turks and Caicos Islands, knocking out power to the islands with 80 mph winds. Following in its wake: Tropical Storm Ike — halfway between Florida and Africa.
Hanna is expected to soak the Bahamas Tuesday and Wednesday. It could jog onto South Florida’s coast as a Category 2 storm by Thursday, forecasters said.
Could.
”The area of uncertainty is very large at this point and could affect anywhere from South Florida to the Outer Banks of North Carolina,” said Jessica Schauer Clark, a National Hurricane Center forecaster. “Everybody should keep an eye on it.”
There were no reports of deaths or injuries along the Turks and Caicos Islands but some flooding. The first day of school Tuesday was canceled and the airport has been closed.
Tropical Storm Ike had maximum winds of 50 mph and was making a course due west toward Hispaniola. It’s still more than 2,500 miles from Miami, but on Ike’s current track, it could reach South Florida — as a hurricane — early next week.
The Bahamas posted hurricane warnings in anticipation of Hanna’s arrival. American Airlines had canceled some flights in and out of the area, and emergency shelters opened for islanders and tourists.
Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency Monday hours before Hanna became a hurricane and Ike a tropical storm and while Hurricane Gustav’s outer bands caused storm surges in the Panhandle.
”We know that Hanna is out there,” Crist said. “We don’t know how strong she is going to be.”
Added state meteorologist Ben Nelson: “Almost the entire East Coast of Florida has the same probability of receiving tropical storm-force winds.”
Forecasters also are monitoring three other tropical weather systems in addition to Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Hanna and Tropical Storm Ike.
One of the systems was just coming off the African coast and two are in the Central Atlantic.
If one forms into the season’s 10th named storm, it will be called Josephine.
Miami Herald staff writers Mary Ellen Klas, Jacqueline Charles and Audra D.S. Burch contributed to this report.
The original source of this article can be found at:
www.miamiherald.com / Tue, Sep. 2, 2008
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