Weather News

At 11:00 am AST... 1500z... The center of hurricane Ike was located near latitude 23.2 north... longitude 57.0 west or about 525 miles... 845 km... northeast of the Leeward Islands. Ike is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph... 26 km/hr. A gradual turn toward the west and west-southwest is expected over the next 48 hours. On this track the hurricane will continue to move over the open waters of the west-central Atlantic during the next couple of days. It is too early to determine what land areas might eventually be affected by Ike but interests in the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands should monitor the progress of this system. Ike is an extremely dangerous category four hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. Some weakening is forecast during the next day or so but Ike is expected to remain a powerful hurricane for the next several days. - NOAA Ike is Extremely Dangerous Category Four Hurricane

Hannah continues northwestward and weakens slightly... At 11 am EDT... 15:00 UTC... The hurricane watch is extended northward to Okracoke Inlet, North Carolina. A hurricane watch is now in effect from north of Edisto Beach, South Carolina to Okracoke Inlet. A tropical storm watch remains in effect from Edisto Beach southward to Altamaha Sound, Georgia. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the central and northwestern Bahamas. At 11:00 am AST... 1500z... The center of tropical storm Hannah was located near latitude 24.5 north... longitude 73.5 west or about 245 miles... 400 km... east of Nassau and about 720 miles... 1160 km... south-southeast of Wilmington North Carolina. Hannah is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph... 19 km/hr... and this motion is expected to continue during the next day or so with a gradual increase in forward speed. A turn to the north is expected by late Friday. Hannah could become a hurricane on Friday prior to reaching the coastline. - NOAA Hannah Could Become Hurricane on Friday

By Joseph Guyler Delva

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Hurricane Ike strengthened rapidly into an fiercely dangerous Category 4 hurricane in the open Atlantic on Wednesday and Tropical Storm Hanna intensified to a lesser degree as it swirled over the Bahamas toward the southeast U.S. Coast.

Ike posed no immediate threat to land but strengthened explosively, growing in the space of a few hours from a tropical storm to an intense Category 4 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson intensity scale.

City and state officials tried to hold them off, but New Orleans resident would have none of it.

John McCain will use his convention speech to lay out a vision for the presidency and draw contrasts with Barack Obama over which candidate has a record of enacting political reform, aides to the Arizona ...

Sep. 3 - Tropical Storm Hanna has already triggered severe flooding in Haiti, while Cuba continues to clear up from Hurricane Gustav.

At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida this week, Space Shuttle program managers will be closely following the progress of Tropical Storm Hannah, in order to determine the best time to roll Space Shuttle Atlantis over to Launch Pad 39A, ahead of next month's STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

Roll-out had been scheduled for Tuesday, September 2, but it has been delayed to allow program managers to assess any effects Hannah may have upon the Kennedy Space Center.

The earliest the orbiter can be rolled out from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Pad 39A is Thursday, September 4, 12:01 am EDT (04:01 UT).

However, if the storm's current predicted track is correct, managers will wait until Hannah passes off the Florida coast near the Kennedy Space Center, and transport Atlantis over to the pad on Saturday morning, September 6.

Managers will also be evaluating any impact on the STS-125 launch date, currently targeted for October 8. - The Editor, Space & Astronautics News

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Gustav weakens to a depression...Still a flood threat...At 04:00 am CDT...0900z...The center of tropical depression Gustav was Located near latitude 31.7 north...Longitude 93.4 west or about 135 Miles...215 km...Northwest of Lafayette, Louisiana. Gustav is moving toward the northwest near 10 mph...17 km/hr...And a decrease in forward speed with a turn toward the north is expected over the next couple of days. This motion would bring the center of Gustav across western Louisiana and into northeastern Texas later today and tonight.

Gustav is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches over portions of Louisiana...Western Mississippi... Arkansas...Southern Missouri...Southeast Oklahoma...and Northeastern Texas...With isolated maximum amounts of up to 20 inches possible through Thursday.

A few tornadoes are possible over portions of the lower Mississippi Valley today. - NOAA National Hurricane Center

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CENTER OF GUSTAV APPROACHING MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA...A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS EASTWARD TO THE MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH...24 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH A DECREASE IN THE FORWARD SPEED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF GUSTAV WILL TRACK ALONG THE SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA COAST THIS AFTERNOON...THEN MOVE INTO WESTERN LOUISIANA TONIGHT AND EASTERN TEXAS ON TUESDAY. - National Hurricane Center

HANNA BECOMES THE FOURTH HURRICANE OF THE SEASON...AT 130 PM AST...1730 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WARNING FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS...THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. AT 130 PM AST...1730Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE HANNA WAS VERY NEAR MAYAGUANA ISLAND IN THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS. HANNA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-SOUTHWEST NEAR 5 MPH...7 KM/HR. A SLOW MOTION TOWARD THE WEST-SOUTHWEST OR SOUTHWEST IS EXPECTED TODAY FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE WEST AND NORTHWEST ON TUESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...HANNA WILL BE MOVING OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. - NOAA Hannah Becomes Fourth Hurricane of the Season

GUSTAV WEAKENS A LITTLE MORE...BUT STILL A MAJOR HURRICANE...A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST FROM CAMERON LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER... INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH...28 KM/HR. THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON FORECAST TRACK...GUSTAV SHOULD MAKE LANDFALL ON THE NORTHERN GULF COAST ON MONDAY.

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE TO DECREASED TO NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GUSTAV IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME RE-INTENSIFICATION IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS...AND GUSTAV COULD REGAIN CATEGORY FOUR STRENGTH LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT. FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY THEREAFTER...BUT GUSTAV IS FORECAST TO REMAIN A MAJOR HURRICANE UNTIL LANDFALL. - NOAA

Gustav is Currently a Category Three Hurricane

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS WEST OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO THE DRY TORTUGAS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ALONG THE PANHANDLE COAST OF FLORIDA FROM EAST OF THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER EASTWARD TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER. GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH...24 KM/HR...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF GUSTAV IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO ON SUNDAY...AND THEN MAKE LANDFALL ON THE NORTHERN GULF COAST ON MONDAY. - NOAA Gustav: Tropical Storm Warning for Lower Florida Keys

HANNA CONTINUES SLOWLY WEST-NORTHWESTWARD...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...INCLUDING THE ACKLINS...CROOKED ISLAND...THE INAGUAS...MAYAGUANA...AND THE RAGGED ISLANDS...AS WELL AS FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. HANNA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH...11 KM/HR. A WEST TO WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF HANNA IS FORECAST TO MOVE NEAR OR JUST NORTHEAST OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS LATE SUNDAY OR MONDAY. - NOAA Hannah Expected to Be NE of Turks and Caicos Islands Sun/Mon

Hurricane Gustav is growing into a monster Category 5 storm, the government's disaster relief chief said Saturday.

GUSTAV NEAR THE SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF JAMAICA HEADING TOWARD THE CAYMAN ISLANDS...HURRICANE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN CUBA...FOR THE PROVINCES OF ISLA DE JUVENTUD...PINAR DEL RIO...LA HABANA...AND CIUDAD DE LA HABANA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF GRANMA. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF MATANZAS. TROPICAL STORM WATCHES MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL CUBA LATER TODAY. - NOAA Gustav Near SW Jamaica; Heading for Cayman Islands

HANNA IS POORLY ORGANIZED AT THIS TIME...AT 500 AM AST...0900Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM HANNA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 62.3 WEST OR ABOUT 245 MILES...400 KM...NORTH-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. HANNA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH...22 KM/HR. A MOTION BETWEEN WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST AWAY FROM THE LEEWARD ISLANDS IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH...85 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST TODAY BUT HANNA COULD BECOME A HURRICANE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. - NOAA 08/29/08: 05:00 EDT/09:00 UT: Tropical Storm Hannah Could Become Hurricane

GUSTAV CLOSING IN ON JAMAICA...A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR JAMAICA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF GRANMA. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. INTERESTS IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN CUBA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF GUSTAV. GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 5 MPH...7 KM/HR...AND A CONTINUED WESTWARD MOTION WITH A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED TODAY. A TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF GUSTAV WILL MOVE NEAR OR OVER JAMAICA TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND NEAR OR OVER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS FRIDAY NIGHT. - NOAA Tropical Storm Gustav Closes in on Jamaica

HANNA BECOMES EIGHTH TROPICAL STORM OF THE SEASON...AT 1100 AM AST...1500Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM HANNA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 20.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 59.2 WEST OR ABOUT 305 MILES...490 KM...NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. HANNA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH...19 KM/HR. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...HANNA WILL MOVE AWAY FROM THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BE CENTERED WELL TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE BAHAMAS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. - NOAA Tropical Storm Hannah: 8th Tropical Storm of Season

Indian army troops helped evacuate more than 120,000 people from floods in eastern India, but more bad weather raised fears that rivers would to continue to overflow, officials said on Thursday.

The American Red Cross is deploying volunteers from across the country to the Gulf Coast in advance of Hurricane Gustav.