Move Over Hurricane Hanna, It's Hurricane Ike We Have to Watch!!

As Hurricane Hanna has now been downgraded temporarily to tropical storm and intensifies to a lesser degree as it swirled over the Bahamas approaching the southeast U.S. Coast, it looks like Hurricane Ike will pose the greatest threat to Florida this hurricane season so far. This is not to say Hurricane Hanna has not made her impact in the Caribbean - submerging parts of Haiti with her torrential rains and mudslides killing 61 people. She has temporarily weakened, but is expected to reach a category one or two status before reaching land.

Hurricane Ike today has been upgraded yesterday from a tropical storm status to a Hurricane four - presently posing no immediate threat to land - 610 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands. However, her path appears to be targeting Florida. What is concerning about Hurricane Ike is how quickly it jumped explosively within a matter of a few hours from a tropical storm to a category 4 hurricane with winds up to 145 miles an hour - category 5 is the top end of the scale for hurricane strength.

Early next week, Hurricane Ike is forecasted to hit the southern part of the Bahamas and that is when Floridians will get a better idea of a closer path of its wrath. Some parts of Florida are still trying to recover from the heavy rains of Hurricane Fay creating flooding in various counties. Tropical storm Hanna is forecasted to move over the Bahamas today and then re-strengthen to hurricane status grazing the coasts of northern Florida aiming towards the North Carolina - Virginia border Saturday, September 13th. The National Weather Center says Hurricane Hanna could get to even a hurricane one or two status before it hits the southeastern United States - making its way up towards the New England area. Most likely Florida will experience more rains as Hurricane Hanna passes.

Although Miami-based hurricane center said it was too soon to say where Ike might go, the main U.S. coastline concern right could be Florida - due to the strength Hurricane Ike has already demonstrated. This could be a catastrophic event so it is important that anyone who could be remotely affected to a pay attention to Hurricane Ike's path.

Energy companies are concern because there are 4,000 offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico that provides the United States with twenty-five per cent of its crude oil and fifteen per cent of its natural gas.

Here are some very good sites that will keep you updated on Hurricane's Ike's path:

Weather.com

NOAA

Stormpulse

National Weather Center

Outside of Hurricane Fay this year, Florida has not been severely affected by a catastrophic hurricane since 2004. Do not be complacent. If you haven't already prepared a survival kit then start now. Here are some important supplies:

Non perishable foods

Bottle Water

Important Papers, emergency numbers

Clean towels, cleaning supplies

Flashlights, radio, batteries

First aid kit

Candles and matches

Prescription medicine

Grill with charcoal and lighter fluid

Cash

Please make sure you have gassed up your car and have an escape plan if you find your area threatened.