Tropical Storm Strengthens in Caribbean

[steven]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Tropical Storm Ernesto strengthened over the Caribbean Saturday as it headed toward Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, threatening to become the first hurricane of the 2006 Atlantic season, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Ernesto, packing 50 mph winds, was projected to reach hurricane strength by Tuesday but it was too soon to predict whether it would hit the United States, said Michael Brennan, a meteorologist with the hurricane center in Miami.

"People should pay attention, especially people on the Gulf coast," Brennan said. "We're in the middle of hurricane season and it's a good time for people to update their hurricane plans."

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[steven]

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) -- Tropical Storm Ernesto strengthened Sunday as it steamed through the central Caribbean toward Haiti, threatening to enter the Gulf of Mexico as the first hurricane of the 2006 Atlantic season.

Ernesto could grow into a Category 3 hurricane by Thursday, menacing a broad swath of the Gulf Coast including hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami forecast. Category 3 Hurricane Katrina struck the city a year ago Tuesday.

"It looks likely that it will hit (the U.S.), but it's way too soon to say where" or how much impact it would have, said John Cangialosi, a meteorologist with the hurricane center. "At this point, keep a close eye, anyone in the Gulf Coast, and just keep monitoring this."

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[steven]

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) -- Ernesto became the first hurricane of the Atlantic season Sunday with winds of 75 mph, and forecasters said it would strengthen as it headed toward the Gulf of Mexico, where it could menace a wide swath of coastline including New Orleans.

The storm could grow into a Category 3 hurricane by Thursday, said the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. Category 3 Hurricane Katrina struck the city a year ago Tuesday.

"It's over nice warm Caribbean waters, and far enough off the coast of Haiti that it is still strengthening now," said Ron Goodman, a forecaster at the center.

The storm, moving northwest at 10 mph, was projected to make landfall in Haiti on Sunday afternoon, dropping heavy rain that could cause deadly mudslides in the heavily deforested country. Ernesto was expected to cross west-central Cuba on Tuesday night before continuing into the Gulf of Mexico.

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[Ragin]

Aug 27, 5:47 PM EDT

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) -- A hurricane watch was issued Sunday for the Florida Keys and Gov. Jeb Bush ordered a state of emergency in anticipation of Tropical Storm Ernesto.

Ernesto, which had strengthened into a hurricane for about 10 hours, weakened back into a tropical storm by late afternoon with top sustained winds of 60 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

Still, the Miami-based hurricane center said the storm was expected to strengthen and potentially reclaim its hurricane status before reaching the southeastern coast of Cuba on Monday morning.

"It certainly looks like it's going to impact a significant portion of Florida before it's all over," said Max Mayfield, the director of the National Hurricane Center.

Officials in the Keys told tourists to postpone any immediate plans to travel there and ordered those already in the island chain to leave.

All travel trailers and recreational vehicles were ordered off the islands immediately. Residents were taking notice too: a Home Depot store in Key West was busy Sunday afternoon as customers shopped for generators and other storm-preparation equipment.

The state of emergency directs counties to open their emergency management offices and activates the National Guard, among other things. Bush canceled his scheduled trip to New York for several meetings Monday, choosing instead to stay in Tallahassee and monitor storm developments.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...08-27-17-47-37

[Ragin]

NEW ORLEANS (AP)- "Also Sunday, Gov. Kathleen Blanco held a conference call with state and federal officials to discuss any possible threats from Hurricane Ernesto, which was in the Caribbean. Early forecast tracks indicated a threat to New Orleans late next week but the tracks had shifted to the east by Sunday morning, centering on Florida and moving Louisiana out of the expected danger zone.

Blanco said the state was prepared for whatever the storm did, but added: "One of the things we don't want to do is overreact unnecessarily and put unnecessary strain on our people.""

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...08-27-19-27-16

[steven]

MIAMI (AP) -- Florida residents rushed to fill their prescriptions and stood in long lines for gasoline, food and other supplies Monday as officials warned people not to wait for Tropical Storm Ernesto to become a hurricane again before taking precautions.

Forecasters said Ernesto could grow back into a hurricane in the warm waters off Cuba and come ashore in South Florida as early as Tuesday night, exactly one year after Hurricane Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast.
It would be the first hurricane to hit the United States this year.

Memories of Katrina and the seven hurricanes that have struck Florida since 2004 were fresh in the minds of many.

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