The Atlantic Triple Threat

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Hurricane 2008! From AccuWeather.com

As of 11:00 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Hanna was still a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds near 60 mph. Hanna is located near 20.6 north and 71.8 west. This is about 75 miles southwest of Grand Turk Island. Hanna is moving toward the north around 6 mph. The estimated central pressure of Hanna is 997 mb, or 29.44 inches. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 290 miles.

A hurricane warning remains in effect for the central and southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands. There is a hurricane watch out for the rest of the Bahamas, as well. Meanwhile, a tropical storm warning is in effect for Hispaniola from Port Au Prince, Haiti to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. Interests in eastern Cuba, the northern Bahamas, the Florida Peninsula and all of the southeastern United States should monitor the progress of Hanna.

Hanna is experiencing strong northerly shear, but this shear should diminish Wednesday afternoon, and Hanna could become a hurricane once more late on Wednesday or Wednesday night. Tropical storm-force winds will affect the Turks and Caicos islands, as well as the central and southeastern Bahamas. Rainfall from Hanna will also affect the central and southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands. Rainfall in these areas will average 8-12 inches with locally higher amounts possible through Wednesday. Storm surge caused by the winds around the storm will average 1-3 feet above normal water levels. Large, dangerous waves will batter areas where the winds are blowing onshore. Swells from Hanna will cause rough surf and rip currents along the Southeast coast through Friday.

While the exact future path of Hanna is somewhat uncertain, the storm is likely to move northward to start Wednesday, spreading its effects over the northern Bahamas later Wednesday as the path shifts to the northwest. Then Hanna will move east of Florida and the Southeast starting on Thursday. Right now Hanna looks to pass fairly far offshore of Florida, but could still have a few stronger wind gusts near the coast along with some outer bands reaching the eastern coast.

Tropical Storm Ike is near 20.8 north and 51.2 west, or about 740 miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands. Further strengthening is expected with this system over the next several days and Ike could become a hurricane later Wednesday. Ike is moving west-northwest at 18 mph, and a general west to west-northwest movement is expected to continue for the next couple of days. Maximum-sustained winds are near 70 mph with gusts to 80 mph. The estimated central pressure is 991 mb, or 29.26 inches. Computer forecast information keeps Ike away from land through Thursday. After that, the system is expected to pass close to or even over the Leeward Islands on Friday, then near or over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Saturday.

Tropical Storm Josephine continues to track westward in the far eastern Atlantic. Josephine is moving to the west at 10 mph and as of 11 a.m. EDT was centered around 13.8 north and 28.8. Josephine will likely remain a tropical storm through Wednesday, but may strengthen further into a hurricane toward the end of this week. Winds are at 29.35 inches.

After making landfall in Louisiana as a dangerous hurricane on Monday, Gustav has weakened to a tropical rainstorm with winds of 25 mph. Tropical Rainstorm Gustav is centered about 30 miles northwest of Texarkana, Ark. As of 10:00 a.m. CDT Wednesday, Gustav was moving north-northeast at 2 mph. The central pressure is 997 mb, or 29.44 inches.

Another tropical wave is along 62 west, south of 19 north moving west around 20 mph. This wave has caused some showers and thunderstorms across the Lesser Antilles and the eastern Caribbean, but no organized tropical development is expected over the next couple of days.

By AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Carl Erickson

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Ike Now A Category 4; Hanna Threat

same link as above.


Ike Now A Category 4; Hanna Threat
As of 5:00 a.m. EDT Thursday, Hanna was still a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds near 70 mph. Hanna is located near 24.0 north and 72.8 west or about 295 miles east-southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas. Hanna is moving toward the northwest around 13 mph. The estimated central pressure of Hanna is 990 mb or 29.23 inches. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 270 miles, mainly to the north of the center.

A tropical storm warning is now in effect for all of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands. Interests in eastern Cuba, Puerto Rico, the northern Bahamas, the Florida Peninsula and all of the eastern United States should monitor the progress of Hanna.

As the environment around Hanna became less hostile, intensification has occurred with Hanna reaching hurricane strength, possibly during the day Thursday. Tropical storm-force winds will affect the Turks and Caicos islands, as well as the central and southeastern Bahamas. Rainfall from Hanna will also affect the central and southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands. Rainfall in these areas will average 4-8 inches with locally higher amounts possible through Wednesday. Storm surge caused by the winds around the storm will average 1-3 feet above normal water levels. Large, dangerous waves will batter areas where the winds are blowing onshore. Swells from Hanna will cause rough surf and rip currents along the Southeast Coast through Friday.

While the exact future path of Hanna is somewhat uncertain, the storm began a northward motion Wednesday afternoon. Hanna will move east of Florida and the Southeast starting on Thursday. Right now Hanna looks to pass fairly far offshore of Florida, but could still have a few stronger wind gusts near the coast along with some outer bands reaching the eastern coast.

While the most likely area of landfall is early this weekend along the Carolina coast from Charleston on northeast, we continue to explore the possibility that Hanna will recurve more sharply and could possibly graze Cape Hatteras, N.C. on a path that would then continue to take the storm northeastward. At any rate the strength of Hanna at time of landfall is expected to be a strong Category 1 or a low Category 2 hurricane. A path paralleling the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts could result in hurricane-force winds well up along the I-95 corridor in the Northeast. A track farther inland over North Carolina would result in a swath of heavy rain, as well as strong winds spreading northward and inland from the landfall area.

Ike strengthened into a major hurricane last evening as a Category 3 then strengthened further into a Category 4 As of 5:00 a.m., Ike was near 22.7 north and 55.8 west, or about 610 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands. Maximum sustained winds have increased to 145 mph with higher gusts. The estimated central pressure is 935 mb, or 27.61 inches. Ike is expected to remain a major hurricane over the next couple of days. Moving west-northwest at 17 mph, Ike is expected to remain on a generally westward path for the next couple of days. Computer forecast information keeps Ike away from land through Thursday. After that, the system is expected to pass close to or even over the Leeward Islands on Friday, then north of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Saturday and continuing toward the Bahamas on Sunday.

Tropical Storm Josephine continues to track westward in the far eastern Atlantic. Josephine is moving to the west at 12 mph and as of 5 a.m. EDT Thursday was centered around 14.2 north and 31.3 west. Josephine has re-strengthened with winds now at 60 mph. A similar intensity or even a slow weakening is expected over the next couple of days.

After making landfall in Louisiana as a dangerous hurricane earlier this week, Gustav has transitioned into a tropical rainstorm. Gustav will track with increasing speed towards the Great Lakes over the next day or two. Flooding rains will be a major concern across portions of Midwest through at least Thursday.

[Kay H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kay H]

I sure hope Pat H and friend are able to get home from their cruise with no problems. On the other hand, maybe they will be forced into taking a longer unexpected vacation.

I'm thinking of you, Pat.

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

I sure hope Pat H and friend are able to get home from their cruise with no problems. On the other hand, maybe they will be forced into taking a longer unexpected vacation.

I'm thinking of you, Pat.

Thanks, Kay. So far no problems on the cruise. Water has been very calm. I'm more worried about getting home from San Juan into Philly Sunday night.

[funtime2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close funtime2]

We are in for the night. In Jacksonville, NC (the closest city) there is a 7:30pm curfew. Hanna could make landfall less than 100 miles from where we live or as close as 40miles. Our threat is tornados...... and of course the high winds and rain.