hockeyfan

Former Wildcatter, Jonathan Paiement, was seriously injured in the Albany River Rats (AHL) bus accident early this morning.

Hockey on TV cannot compare to watching it live, but I'd still rather see it than NASCAR.

Ooh...cars going round and round and round and...drool.....

The Wranglers wore black-and-white striped prison jerseys, and the Condors wore orange jumpsuit jerseys.

The referees had police jerseys on.  LOL

Also, there were bars around the penalty boxes and the goal judges dressed up as actual judges.

Only in Vegas...

"When it became official in 1993 that the Minnesota North Stars would be invading football country, the players viewed the move south with some apprehension.

Original Stars Neal Broten and Shane Churla were hopeful that hockey would succeed in Dallas, but nobody involved with the relocation was certain the sport would be embraced in the Deep South."

If you can't get the rotten smell out of your fridge or freezer, despite cleaning with bleach and everything else, try coffee grounds.

Our fridge smelled like a garbage dump, so I put some coffee grounds in a cup (a bowl would be better, I'm sure) and the smell vanished in no time!

Baking soda just wasn't doing the job.  LOL

Well, it's like I said last night...and I'm not here to start an argument....Jefferson County wanted to call for the mandatory yesterday, but the City of Beaumont was not ready.  :-\

We left because we felt unsafe with the storm, and we didn't have to wait for somebody to hold our hands and tell us to.

Common sense, I guess.  ;D

Good luck, everyone, and be safe!  :-*

MAXIMUM WATER LEVELS FORECAST:

SHORELINE OF MATAGORDA AND GALVESTON BAYS...15 TO 20 FEET

GULF-FACING COASTAL AREAS FROM MATAGORDA TO HIGH ISLAND INCLUDING

GALVESTON ISLAND...12 TO 16 FEET

LIFE THREATENING INUNDATION LIKELY!

ALL NEIGHBORHOODS...AND POSSIBLY ENTIRE COASTAL COMMUNITIES...

WILL BE INUNDATED DURING HIGH TIDE. PERSONS NOT HEEDING

EVACUATION ORDERS IN SINGLE FAMILY ONE OR TWO STORY HOMES WILL

FACE CERTAIN DEATH. MANY RESIDENCES OF AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION

DIRECTLY ON THE COAST WILL BE DESTROYED. WIDESPREAD AND

DEVASTATING PERSONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE IS LIKELY ELSEWHERE. VEHICLES

LEFT BEHIND WILL LIKELY BE SWEPT AWAY. NUMEROUS ROADS WILL BE

SWAMPED...SOME MAY BE WASHED AWAY BY THE WATER. ENTIRE FLOOD PRONE

COASTAL COMMUNITIES WILL BE CUTOFF. WATER LEVELS MAY EXCEED 9 FEET

FOR MORE THAN A MILE INLAND. COASTAL RESIDENTS IN MULTI-STORY

FACILITIES RISK BEING CUTOFF. CONDITIONS WILL BE WORSENED BY

BATTERING WAVES. SUCH WAVES WILL EXACERBATE PROPERTY DAMAGE...WITH

MASSIVE DESTRUCTION OF HOMES...INCLUDING THOSE OF BLOCK

CONSTRUCTION. DAMAGE FROM BEACH EROSION COULD TAKE YEARS TO

REPAIR.

What I heard was that Jeff co. wanted to start getting people out earlier, but the CITY of Beaumont said that they weren't ready yet.  >

000

WTNT34 KNHC 101755

TCPAT4

BULLETIN

HURRICANE IKE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  38A

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL  AL092008

200 PM EDT WED SEP 10 2008

...IKE NOW A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEST OF KEY WEST TO

THE DRY TORTUGAS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE

INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED

BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 200 PM EDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED

NEAR LATITUDE 24.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.8 WEST OR ABOUT 255 MILES...

410 KM...WEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA AND ABOUT 395 MILES...

640 KM...SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH...13 KM/HR.  A TURN

BACK TO THE WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY...AND

A MOSTLY WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION THROUGH THE CENTRAL GULF OF

MEXICO IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. 

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NOW NEAR 100 MPH...155 KM/HR...WITH

HIGHER GUSTS. IKE IS NOW A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE

SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. IKE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE

WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

IKE IS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND

OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES...130 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL

STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205 MILES...335 KM.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED FROM AN AIR FORCE

RESERVE UNIT HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 958 MB...28.29 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING ALONG THE COASTS OF CUBA AND IN THE

FLORIDA KEYS SHOULD SUBSIDE TODAY.  ABOVE NORMAL TIDES OF 2 TO 4

FEET ARE ALREADY OCCURRING ALONG MUCH OF THE NORTH COAST OF THE

GULF OF MEXICO.

IKE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12

INCHES OVER WESTERN CUBA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO

20 INCHES POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE

LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES OVER MOUNTAINOUS

TERRAIN. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AN INCH OR SO ARE POSSIBLE

OVER THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND THE FLORIDA KEYS THROUGH THIS

EVENING.

REPEATING THE 200 PM EDT POSITION...24.2 N...85.8 W.  MOVEMENT

TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...100

MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...958 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL

HURRICANE CENTER AT 500 PM EDT.

$$

FORECASTER FRANKLIN

000

WTNT34 KNHC 101449

TCPAT4

BULLETIN

HURRICANE IKE ADVISORY NUMBER  38

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL  AL092008

1100 AM EDT WED SEP 10 2008

...IKE GROWING IN SIZE AND STRENGTH IN THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF

MEXICO...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES

OF MATANZAS...LA HABANA...CIUDAD DE HABANA...PINAR DEL RIO...AND

THE ISLE OF YOUTH.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEST OF KEY WEST TO

THE DRY TORTUGAS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE

INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED

BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 1100 AM EDT...1500Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED

NEAR LATITUDE 23.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.3 WEST OR ABOUT 225 MILES...

365 KM...WEST-SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA AND ABOUT 430 MILES...

690 KM...SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

ALTHOUGH THE CENTER OF IKE MOVED LITTLE OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS...

THE HURRICANE IS GENERALLY MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 8

MPH...13 KM/HR.  A WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED TO

CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS...WHICH WOULD TAKE IKE THROUGH

THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NOW NEAR 90 MPH...150 KM/HR...WITH

HIGHER GUSTS. IKE IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON

SCALE. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED AND IKE COULD BE A

MAJOR HURRICANE TOMORROW.

IKE IS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND

OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES...130 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL

STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205 MILES...335 KM.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED FROM A NOAA HURRICANE

HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 957 MB...28.26 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING ALONG THE COASTS OF CUBA AND IN THE

FLORIDA KEYS SHOULD SUBSIDE TODAY.  ABOVE NORMAL TIDES OF 2 TO 4

FEET ARE ALREADY OCCURRING ALONG MUCH OF THE NORTH COAST OF THE

GULF OF MEXICO. 

IKE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12

INCHES OVER WESTERN CUBA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO

20 INCHES POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE

LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES OVER MOUNTAINOUS

TERRAIN. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AN INCH OR SO ARE POSSIBLE

OVER THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND THE FLORIDA KEYS THROUGH THIS

EVENING.

REPEATING THE 1100 AM EDT POSITION...23.9 N...85.3 W.  MOVEMENT

TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...90

MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...957 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE

CENTER AT 200 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 500

PM EDT.

$$

FORECASTER FRANKLIN

I saw it on The Weather Channel, as well.

Animation has been updated:

Not that it tells anything new, but it does show the way the path has moved over the last two days.

000

WTNT34 KNHC 100236

TCPAT4

BULLETIN

HURRICANE IKE ADVISORY NUMBER  36

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL  AL092008

1100 PM EDT TUE SEP 09 2008

...IKE BEGINNING TO STRENGTHEN...

AT 11 PM EDT...0300 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA HAS CHANGED THE

HURRICANE WARNING TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE CUBAN

PROVINCES OF MATANZAS...LA HABANA...CIUDAD DE HABANA...PINAR DEL

RIO...AND THE ISLE OF YOUTH.

AT 11 PM EDT...0300 UTC...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR FLORIDA BAY

AND FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM OCEAN REEF TO THE WEST END OF THE

SEVEN MILE BRIDGE IS DISCONTINUED.  A TROPICAL STORM WARNING

REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEST OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE WESTWARD TO

THE DRY TORTUGAS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE

INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED

BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 1100 PM EDT...0300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED

NEAR LATITUDE 23.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 84.3 WEST OR ABOUT 120 MILES...

195 KM...WEST OF HAVANA CUBA.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR...AND

THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

DATA FROM A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT THE

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 80 MPH...130 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER

GUSTS.  IKE IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.

STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED...AND IKE COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE

IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES...55 KM...FROM

THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175

MILES...280 KM.  KEY WEST RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 45

MPH...72 KM/HR...WITH A GUST TO 60 MPH...96 KM/HR.

THE NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL

PRESSURE OF 967 MB...28.56 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING AND WAVES ALONG THE COASTS OF CUBA

SHOULD GRADUALLY SUBSIDE OVERNIGHT.  STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 1 TO 3

FEET...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS WAVES...ARE POSSIBLE IN THE

LOWER FLORIDA KEYS.

LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY IKE WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE EAST COAST

OF FLORIDA FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO.  THESE SWELLS COULD GENERATE

DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS.

IKE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES

OVER WESTERN CUBA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 20 INCHES

POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH

FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.  RAINFALL

ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA KEYS.

ISOLATED TORNADOES AND WATERSPOUTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA

KEYS AND EXTREME SOUTH FLORIDA OVERNIGHT.

REPEATING THE 1100 PM EDT POSITION...23.2 N...84.3 W.  MOVEMENT

TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...80

MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...967 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE

CENTER AT 200 AM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 500

AM EDT.

$$

FORECASTER PASCH/BERG

We need to re-name this thread "Ask the Coop". 

When do I get my Junior Meteorologist badge?

Here's a new animation of the projected path:

That link is a permalink, so I will re-upload the new graphics to that same URL.

000

WTNT34 KNHC 092043

TCPAT4

BULLETIN

HURRICANE IKE ADVISORY NUMBER  35

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL  AL092008

500 PM EDT TUE SEP 09 2008

...IKE EMERGES INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF

MATANZAS...LA HABANA...CIUDAD DE HABANA...PINAR DEL RIO...AND THE

ISLE OF YOUTH.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM

OCEAN REEF SOUTHWARD TO THE DRY TORTUGAS...INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE

INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED

BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 500 PM EDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED JUST

OFF THE NORTHERN COAST OF WESTERN CUBA NEAR LATITUDE 22.9

NORTH...LONGITUDE 83.8 WEST OR ABOUT 90 MILES...145 KM...WEST-

SOUTHWEST OF HAVANA CUBA.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH...17 KM/HR...AND

THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH...120 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER

GUSTS.  IKE IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.

NOW THAT IKE HAS EMERGED INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO...STRENGTHENING IS

EXPECTED AND IKE COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE IN THE CENTRAL GULF

OF MEXICO.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM...FROM

THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175

MILES...280 KM.

THE MOST RECENT MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE MEASURED BY AN AIR FORCE

RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 968 MB...28.59 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE

LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE

EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE WINDS ALONG THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN

COASTS OF CUBA.  STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 1 TO 3 FEET...ALONG WITH

LARGE AND DANGEROUS WAVES...ARE POSSIBLE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS.

LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY IKE WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE EAST COAST

OF FLORIDA FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO.  THESE SWELLS COULD GENERATE

DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP CURRENTS.

IKE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES

OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL CUBA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP

TO 20 INCHES POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE LIFE-

THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE

FLORIDA KEYS.

ISOLATED TORNADOES AND WATERSPOUTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA

KEYS AND EXTREME SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH TONIGHT.

REPEATING THE 500 PM EDT POSITION...22.9 N...83.8 W.  MOVEMENT

TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...75

MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...968 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE

CENTER AT 800 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 1100

PM EDT.

$$

FORECASTER FRANKLIN

Ok, I put together an animation of all the tracks (except the 2am and 5am ones, of course) since Sunday evening:

I was just about to mention that!

I've been saving each track on my computer to compare.

Where's that dang animation program on my computer?  ???

The projected path of a storm can change a lot in a little bit of time.

Check out Rita's:

Ike is now a Category 1 Hurricane

000

WTNT34 KNHC 082050

TCPAT4

BULLETIN

HURRICANE IKE ADVISORY NUMBER  31

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL  AL092008

500 PM EDT MON SEP 08 2008

...IKE HUGGING THE SOUTHERN COAST OF CENTRAL CUBA...

AT 500 PM EDT...2100 UTC...THE HURRICANE WATCH FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS

FROM OCEAN REEF SOUTHWARD TO THE DRY TORTUGAS HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.

AT 500 PM EDT...2100 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS HAS

DISCONTINUED THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR ANDROS AND RAGGED

ISLANDS.

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF

GUANTANAMO...SANTIAGO DE CUBA... HOLGUIN...LAS TUNAS AND

GRANMA...CAMAGUEY...CIEGO DE AVILA....VILLA CLARA...SANCTI

SPIRITUS...CIENFUEGOS...MATANZAS...LA HABANA...CIUDAD DE

HABANA...PINAR DEL RIO...AND THE ISLE OF YOUTH.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR LITTLE CAYMAN AND CAYMAN

BRAC.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM

OCEAN REEF SOUTHWARD TO THE DRY TORTUGAS...INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY. A

TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE

EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM OCEAN

REEF SOUTHWARD TO THE DRY TORTUGAS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR GRAND CAYMAN.

INTERESTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS

OF IKE.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE

INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED

BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 500 PM EDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR

LATITUDE 21.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.7 WEST OR ABOUT 45 MILES...70

KM...SOUTHEAST OF CIENFUEGOS CUBA AND ABOUT 215 MILES...340

KM...SOUTHEAST OF HAVANA CUBA.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH...22 KM/HR...BUT A TURN

TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST SHOULD BEGIN TONIGHT.  ON THIS

TRACK...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ALONG OR

JUST SOUTH OF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF CENTRAL CUBA TONIGHT...MOVE OVER

WESTERN CUBA TUESDAY...AND EMERGE INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF

MEXICO BY TUESDAY NIGHT.

DATA FROM A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED

WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 80 MPH...130 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER

GUSTS.  IKE IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.

A SLIGHT INCREASE IN INTENSITY IS POSSIBLE IF THE CENTER REMAINS

OVER WATER.  STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST ONCE IKE MOVES INTO THE GULF

OF MEXICO.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES...55 KM...FROM

THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175

MILES...280 KM.

THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT

WAS 965 MB...28.50 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE

LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE

EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE WINDS EAST OF IKE ALONG THE SOUTHERN

COAST OF CUBA. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 1 TO 3 FEET...ALONG WITH

LARGE AND DANGEROUS WAVES...ARE POSSIBLE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS.

LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY IKE WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF

THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES COAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

THESE WAVES COULD GENERATE DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING RIP

CURRENTS.

IKE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES

OVER CUBA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 20 INCHES

POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH

FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. RAINFALL

ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER JAMAICA...WITH 2

TO 4 INCHES POSSIBLE OVER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.  RAINFALL

ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA KEYS.

REPEATING THE 500 PM EDT POSITION...21.4 N...79.7 W.  MOVEMENT

TOWARD...WEST NEAR 14 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...80 MPH.

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...965 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE

CENTER AT 800 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 1100

PM EDT.

$$

FORECASTER RHOME/AVILA

Besides NHC what other sites can I go to for 'tracking maps?' Thanks

With temperatures like that, I better get out my hockey skates!

Looks like our swimming pool will be my own personal skating rink. 

Never trust any meteorologist.  

We can't trust Coop? 

LOL, but I know what you mean.  ;D

But I also remember that nearly 3 years ago, J.B. said that Rita wasn't going to be a problem. 

Still, we all need to get out of our "fantasy world" and not panic until we're told to!

LOL

Keeping a close eye on it, just in case.

Rob played for the Wildcatters in their inaugural season, and was such a nice guy.

Prayers go out to Rob's wife, Brooke (she worked for the Wildcatters in 03-04), and their 5-month-old daughter, Olivia.