PM Update: Hanna Near Hurricane Strength;Fifth Consecutive U.S. Landfall to Tie a Record

11 pm Update:Tropical Storm Hanna is moving rapidly toward landfall on the coast of the Carolinas. The Tropical Storm Warning has been extended northward to Watch Hill, Rhode Island, including New York Harbor and Long Island Sound. Maximum winds are still 70 mph. The center is moving north at 20 mph from a position about 140 miles south southwest of Wilmington, North Carolina.

5 pm Update: Tropical Storm Hanna's circulation has become more symmetric during the day, and the latest aircraft reconnaissance confirms that it is just below hurricane strength. The storm's effects are now reaching the coast of the Carolinas as it moves northward at 20 mph. The center was located about 240 miles south of Wilmington, North Carolina at 5 pm.

The Tropical Storm Watch has been extended northward to Merrimack River, Massachusetts, and various other watches and warnings remain in effect from the Southeast through the Mid Atlantic. See the link in the original post below for local watches and warnings.

Despite all the focus on Hanna, Hurricane Ike remains a dangerous Category 3 storm. The first reconnaissance of Ike this afternoon has put the maximum winds a little lower, at 115 mph, but restrengthening is likely in the next couple of days. Ike continues on a generally westerly course. There is a large uncertainty in the eventual track, but it's looking increasingly likely that Ike could move on into the Gulf of Mexico after threatening either southern Florida or Cuba.

Josephine continues to weaken; it's down to 40 mph.

Original post:
Tropical Storm Hanna has continued to become better organized today, and aircraft reconnaissance has found maximum winds of 70 mph as of 2 pm. On the other hand, the center has been located farther east than earlier reported. The storm is now moving north at 20 mph from a position 310 miles south of Wilmington, North Carolina.

Various watches and warnings are in effect for large portions of the Southeast and Mid Atlantic coasts, including the Chesapeake Bay. Local watches and warnings have been issued by National Weather Service offices in the affected areas.

Jeff Masters points out in his blog that Hanna will be the fifth consecutive named storm to hit the U.S. this season. That ties a record which has been matched 5 times in the past, most recently in 2004:

2004 (Frances, Gaston, Hermine, Ivan, and Jeanne)
2002 (Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Isidore)
1985 (Gloria, Henri, Isabel, Juan, and Kate)
1979 (Bob, Claudette, David, Elena, and Frederic)
1971 (Doria, Edith, Fern, Ginger, Heidi)

If Ike makes a landfall in the U.S. as well, it would set a new record.

Scroll down to the previous post for details on major Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Josephine.

Images (top to bottom): Tropical Storm Hanna satellite image from The Weather Channel; Hanna, Ike, and Josephine forecast tracks from National Hurricane Center