<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MIAMI &mdash; Dangerous tropical weather brewed Friday in the Atlantic Ocean with Humberto intensifying into a powerful Category 4 hurricane and a system forecasters dubbed &ldquo;Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine&rdquo; striking the Caribbean and taking aim at the Southeast United States. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hurricane Humberto had maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph) Friday night, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center&rsquo;s latest advisory. The storm was located about 390 miles (630 kilometers) northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Humberto could produce life-threatening surf and rip currents for the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda over the weekend, forecasters said. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meanwhile, a tropical storm warning associated with Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine was issued for the Central Bahamas. The center of the tropical disturbance was about 145 miles (235 kilometers) northwest of the eastern tip of Cuba, forecasters said. It had top winds of 35 mph (55 kph). A tropical storm watch was issued for portions of the northwestern Bahamas. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The hurricane center said the potential cyclone was likely to become a tropical depression &mdash; the next name in the alphabet would be Imelda &mdash; on Saturday. By Sunday, it could be a tropical storm. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The forecast put the system on track to approach the Southeast US over the weekend and into early next week. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency over the storm Friday evening, saying that while there was uncertainty, the state needed to prepare. The declaration allows state emergency officials to begin coordination with local and federal governments and assures people will be eligible for federal aid. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Earlier in the day, crews in Charleston, South Carolina, were getting sandbags together, checking high-water vehicles, and preparing pumps to get any floodwater out of the city. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&ldquo;Even though this has not formed yet, we are treating it as if we are expecting some kind of impact. That&rsquo;s critical. We don&rsquo;t want to downplay the scenario,&rdquo; Chief Fire Marshal Michael Julazadeh said at an emergency Charleston City Council meeting. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The tropical disturbance has already brought heavy rains in the Dominican Republic on Friday, leading authorities to evacuate hundreds of people and declare a red alert in five provinces. Flooding of rivers, streams, and ravines left dozens of communities cut off by landslides and fallen bridges, including one that collapsed while a truck was crossing, killing the driver in the community of Yamas&aacute;. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Flooding in the southwestern province of Azua, one of the areas most affected by the rains, displaced at least 774 people, and 26 were being sheltered due to the overflowing of the T&aacute;bara River, Civil Defense spokesman Jensen S&aacute;nchez told The Associated Press. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Federal Emergency Management Agency urged residents of coastal areas in the Southeast US on Thursday to pay attention as that weather system continues to develop, saying its staff &ldquo;is ready to respond swiftly, if needed.&rdquo; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the eastern Atlantic, the center of post-tropical cyclone Gabrielle moved away from the Azores. A hurricane warning for the entire Portuguese archipelago was discontinued. On Friday afternoon, the storm was about 245 miles (395 kilometers) east-northeast of Lajes Air Base in the Azores. The hurricane center stopped issuing advisories for the system. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some strengthening was forecast through Friday night, with weakening expected over the weekend, and Gabrielle was expected to approach Portugal&rsquo;s coast by early Sunday. Swells expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents were expected to reach Portugal, northwestern Spain, and northern Morocco on Saturday. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Narda was churning about 970 miles (1,560 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California and heading west-northwest at 13 mph (20 kph). The Category 1 storm was expected to maintain its strength on Friday before weakening over the weekend. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Swells generated by Narda were affecting coastal Mexico and Baja California Sur, forecasters said. The swells that could bring life-threatening surf and rip current conditions were expected to reach Southern California over the weekend.

Climate

Hurricane Humberto strengthened into a Category 4 storm in the Atlantic, while Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine battered the Caribbean and threatened the US Southeast. Flooding displaced hundreds, and emergency preparations intensified across South Carolina and beyond.

Articles tagged with "caribbean"

Deadly floods hit Caribbean as tropical threat looms over Southeast US