Hurricane Emily Hits Grenada, Strengthens

Hurricane Emily gained strength in the Caribbean on Thursday and became a major hurricane, the second of the Atlantic season.

The storm could slam into Jamaica this weekend, and the National Hurricane Center couldn’t rule out that it might eventually strike the U.S. mainland.

“Everybody on the Gulf Coast should be aware of this storm,” said Richard Knabb, a forecaster with the hurricane center. “Anytime there’s a major hurricane in the western Caribbean, we have to be concerned.”

Emily, centered 375 miles south-southeast of the Dominican Republic, had winds of 125 mph at 11 p.m. Thursday. The hurricane could further strengthen and become a Category 4 storm, Knabb said. Those storms have winds as high as 155 mph. Major hurricanes are those ranked Category 3 or higher on the 1-to-5 scale.

Earlier, Emily hit Grenada, which was devastated last year by Hurricane Ivan. At least one person was killed, the Associated Press reported.

The hurricane center plots a course for Emily that takes it near the coast of Mexico by Tuesday. It’s too early to predict where it will make landfall, Knabb said, adding that the USA is not out of danger.

On Sunday, Hurricane Dennis, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, struck the Gulf Coast near Pensacola, Fla. The hurricane center has predicted as many as 15 named storms for the season, which runs from June through November. Storms take names when their winds reach 39 mph.