From the National Hurricane Center

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> 

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The Daily Ike: 09-10-08