Ike Update 9/12: Who Rubbed the Oil Lamp?
Ike makes landfall in Cuba
Weakened fortuitously to a Category 3 hurricane, Ike made landfall in Cuba in the province of Holguin near Punto de Sama on the north coast of eastern Cuba at about 01:45UTC, NHC said, with maximum winds of about 205 km/hr.
GOES-East 4km IR4 Floater 2 – Date and Time: Latest Image, Updated – Credit: RAMSDIS-CIRA/RAMM – Colorado State University
Hurricane Ike regional imagery, 2008.09.08 at 14:45UTC. Centerpoint Latitude: 21:15:44N Longitude: 78:26:22W. GOES-12 1 km visible imagery. [Data Elements: The center of Ike may be over open water south of Cuba soon. Ike may not weaken as much as previously shown.] Credit: NOAA/NESDIS/EVP
By 03:00 the center of hurricane Ike was located near latitude 21.1 north, longitude 75.8 west near Cabo Lucrecia about 220km east of Camaguey Cuba.
Ike is now moving in a westerly direction at 20 km/hr, and is expected to turn west to west-northwest in the next 24-48 hours. On this track the center will move over eastern, central and western Cuba through Tuesday.
Since making landfall, Ike’ maximum sustained winds have marginally receded to about 195 km/hr, and is now a category 3B hurricane of FEWW Hurricane Scale. Further weakening is likely as Ike moves over Cuba.
Ike’s Legacy in the Caribbeans [so far]
Turks and Caicos Islands (Population 22,500): T & C took the full brunt of Ike as a Category 4 hurricane with 215 km/hr winds. About 80 percent of the houses on Grand Turk (population 3,000 were destroyed or damaged, an official said.
The Dominican Republic: Up to 50,000 people abandoned their homes because of the powerful winds and rain.
Haiti: The downpour from Ike caused the La Quinte river to rise again flooding the city of Gonaives for the second time since Hannah struck. By Sunday evening Gonaives was “a devastated and isolated city,” its mayor reportedly said, “all of our bridges to the rest of the country have collapsed.”
For additional images see: Hurricane Ike Update 9/7
Ike On The North Coast Of Eastern Cuba
- Source: NHC
- Forecaster: Pasch
- Date and Time: Sept 8, 2008 at 03:00UTC
- Category and Wind Speed: About195 km/hr with higher gusts. Ike is still a very dangerous 3B hurricane of FEWW Hurricane Scale. Some weakening is expected as Ike moves over Cuba.
- Breadth: Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 95 km from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 220 km.
- Estimated minimum central pressure: 945mb (27.91 inches).
- Storm surge flooding: 9 to 12 feet above normal tide levels, along with large and dangerous battering waves can be expected within the warning area in areas of onshore winds.
- Large swells generated by Ike will affect portions of the southeast United States coast during the next 48 hours. These waves could generate dangerous and life-threatening rip currents.
- Rainfall: Ike is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches over eastern and central Cuba, with isolated maximum amounts of up to 20 inches possible. These rains are likely to cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides over mountainous terrain.
- The southern Bahamas: Possible rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches from Ike.
- Portions of Hispaniola: Additional amounts of 3 to 5 inches.
- Turks and Caicos islands: Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches.
- Florida Keys: Rainfall accumulations of 1 to 3 inches.
Fire Earth 