HURRICANE IKE PROJECTED PATH UPDATE 5PM FRIDAY

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER

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IKE PROJECTED PATH EXPECTED TO TURN WESTWARD OVERNIGHT.

INTERESTS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF IKE.

AT 500 PM AST THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 23.6 NORTH - LONGITUDE 58.2 WEST OR ABOUT 505 MILES (815 KM) NORTH-NORTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH (22 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.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 135 MPH (215 KM/HR) WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

IKE IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.

SOME WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES (75 KM) FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES (220 KM).

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 945 MB (27.91 INCHES).