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Hurricane Ike
Northerly shear and some slight dry air entrainment enabled Ike to weaken just a touch on Saturday morning. Maximum sustained winds near the center this morning were lowered to 110 mph, however it has reintensified in a big way. Maximum sustained winds are back up to 135 mph; a dangerous Category 4 hurricane.
As of 2 a.m. ET, Ike was located over Turks Islands, or about 115 miles east of Great Inagua Island.
Hurricane Ike is currently moving west at 15 mph. Ike is plowing over the Turks and Caicos Islands and Great Inagua Island with powerful winds and waves and eventually all of the southeastern Bahamas overnight and Sunday morning.
Residents and tourists should have already taken the necessary precautions to protect life and property and prepare for the arrival of what will likely be a life-threatening Category 4 hurricane.
Hurricane warnings are posted for the central and southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos, as well as eastern Cuba, while a hurricane watch is posted for central Cuba. A tropical storm warning is in place for the the northern coast of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
After passing through the Bahamas, the next landmasses in front of Ike will be Cuba and possibly the Florida Keys.
Some of the latest model track guidance points to a potential path that would take Ike across Cuba, on a east to west track. Although this is not a good outcome for Cuba, it would be a positive outcome for south Florida and the Florida Keys. The center of Ike would stay south of Florida and the interaction with Cuba would allow Ike to weaken significantly.
Still, there is another possibility that Ike will scrape the northern Cuba coast and move through the Florida Straits; keeping most of its strength.
Residents and tourists alike should pay close attention to the progress and forecast track of Ike. This is a very dangerous and potentially deadly hurricane and bears close watching.
After its passage near Cuba and the Florida Straits, Ike is then forecast to turn into the central or eastern Gulf of Mexico. Interests along the Gulf Coast should pay close attention to Ike's projected path.