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Ike ignites into 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 hurricane
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Hurricane Ike grew from a Category 1 into a menacing Category 4 storm in about six hours Wednesday as it fed on the warm waters of Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center said.
"Ike is an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane" with 135-mph (215-kph) sustained winds, the center said in its 11 p.m. ET advisory.
Although it is likely to lose some strength during the next few days, Ike is forecast to regain Category 4 status by Monday, the center said.
"It is too early to determine what, if any, land areas might be affected by Ike," the hurricane center said.
But the center's potential four- to five-day track for Ike puts it anywhere from north of Jamaica to the coast of South Florida on Monday.
At 11 p.m. ET Monday, Ike was moving west-northwest through the Atlantic Ocean. The storm will be over open water for two days, forecasters said.
Earlier Wednesday, Ike intensified into the fifth hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic season when its winds reached 80 mph.
But before Ike can reach into the Caribbean or threaten Florida, Tropical Storm Hanna was getting more organized in the Bahamas, according to the hurricane center.
At 11 p.m. ET, Hanna was about 355 miles (575 kilometers) east-southeast of Nassau, Bahamas. MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Hurricane Ike grew from a Category 1 into a menacing Category 4 storm in about six hours Wednesday as it fed o... more -
First spotless month in a century
The sun has reached a milestone not seen for nearly 100 years: an entire month has passed without a single visible sunspot being noted. The sun has reached a milestone not seen for nearly 100 years: an entire month has passed without a single visible sunspot being noted... more
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Florida turning a blind eye to hurricanes
MIAMI — The hurricanes are coming. Carlos Alvarez, mayor of Miami-Dade County, cannot say when or how severe they will be, but every public speech he gives now includes a warning.
“Hurricanes are part of our lives,” he tells people, adding: “Every time you get groceries, add a few extra cans. Have some jugs to fill up with water.”
For many, though, the message has yet to register.
Florida’s faltering economy and a recent scarcity of major storms have led to what emergency management officials now describe as a dangerous level of complacency. More than two months into hurricane season, and even as Tropical Storm Fay formed on Friday over the Dominican Republic and headed west, Floridians on both coasts are less prepared to withstand a major storm than at any other time in years, according to officials, business owners and residents.
Further, a Harvard study last month identified a significant post-Katrina distrust of shelters, with about a quarter of people surveyed in coastal areas in eight states planning to stay home if a hurricane hits. MIAMI — The hurricanes are coming. Carlos Alvarez, mayor of Miami-Dade County, cannot say when or how severe they will be, but every p... more -
Hurricane Bertha gaining strength
Hurricane Bertha, currently sitting in the Atlantic southeat of Bermuda is thought to be regaining its strength, and forecasters warn that it "could continue to intensify".
The US National Hurricane Centre however, said that it was "too early to determine the extent to which Bertha could impact Bermuda". Hurricane Bertha, currently sitting in the Atlantic southeat of Bermuda is thought to be regaining its strength, and forecasters warn ... more -
Global temperatures 'to decrease'
"Global temperatures this year will be lower than in 2007 due to the cooling effect of the La Nina current in the Pacific, UN meteorologists have said."
There's a feather in the cap of humanity! "Global temperatures this year will be lower than in 2007 due to the cooling effect of the La Nina current in the Pacific, UN met... more -
Pig Spleen Forecasts Weather
A farmer in North Dakota is using a peculiar folk method to predict the weather. He is looking at the spleens of slaughtered pigs.
A narrow-to-wide spleen means a harsh winter.
He's found that the spleens have a uniform thickness, which means no drastic changes.
The farmer claims to be 85% accurate, which rivals even the best Doppler Radar. A farmer in North Dakota is using a peculiar folk method to predict the weather. He is looking at the spleens of slaughtered pigs. ... more -
Hurricane Felix Forecasts Mostly Failed, Experts Say
As the remnants of powerful Hurricane Felix dissipate today over Central American mountains, some meteorologists are voicing concerns about the computer models that were meant to forecast the storm's movements. As the remnants of powerful Hurricane Felix dissipate today over Central American mountains, some meteorologists are voicing concerns ... more
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