Tropical storm Ike explodes into a Category 4 Hurricane

Tropical storm Ike formed over the Atlantic turned into dangerous Category four Hurricane in less than 24 hours time. The path of the Hurricane is still unknown as it remains in the open ocean.

After Hurricane Gustav , Hurricane Ike became the second major storm of 2008 as it gained category four status in a few hours time. It was a tropical storm till yesterday and rapid intensification was not expected. According to NHC, Ike was having maximum sustained winds near 145 mph and was located about 620 miles northwest of the Leeward Islands and was moving west-northwest at about 17 mph. The rapid intensification is attributed to increasingly warm waters of the central Atlantic and an environment with little wind shear.

accuweather.com

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Though NHC doesn't tell about any immediate threat to land areas, the hurricane may finally end up in the Eastern U S coast by next week. At the same time, a group of storms are brewing in the Atlantic. Hurricane Hanna moves towards the Carolina Coastline. Hurricane watches were posted for the Carolina coastline from Surf City, N.C., to north of Edisto Beach, S.C as Hanna is expected to make landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on Friday. Meanwhile, Tropical storm Josephine has started it's journey from the Eastern Atlantic.