Yes, sadly, another is now forming called Ivan.

Hurricane Ivan forms in central Atlantic, Floridians watch track

CORALIE CARLSON

Associated Press


MIAMI - Floridians might have a third hurricane to worry about: Hurricane Ivan formed Sunday in the central Atlantic with a long-term forecast that could bring it to the state by early next week.

With top sustained winds of about 85 mph, Ivan was about 2,500 miles east-southeast of Miami, too far away to tell with any certainty whether it would hit the continental United States. It was expected to keep strengthening, with hundreds of miles of warm water before the nearest land.

But particularly after the back-to-back Hurricanes Charley and Frances, Floridians should monitor any hurricane on a general path toward the state, forecasters said.

"Hopefully they won't let their guard down too much over the next week," said Eric Holweg, meteorologist at the hurricane center.

Even as Frances pummeled central Florida with 95 mph winds and heavy, emergency officials were preparing for Ivan, said Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"We're watching for it just as we're gearing up and watching for wildfires in California and floods through the Midwest," Brown said.

At 11 a.m. EDT, Ivan was about 1,040 miles east of the Windward Islands in the southern Caribbean and moving west near 21 mph. It was expected to turn gradually west-northwest over the day.

Ivan was expected to approach the Lesser Antilles by Tuesday and reach the Bahamas by Friday. The path was similar but south of Frances' track into Florida's east coast.

"You might want to be smart about whether you take down your shutters," Miami-Dade County manager George Burgess said Sunday at a briefing on the aftermath of Frances.

Both Ivan and Frances formed as tropical storms near Cape Verde off the African coast, an area known as a breeding ground for storms that become big hurricanes.

"They tend to be stronger systems, just because they have such a great environment to grow in as they cross the Atlantic," Holweg said.

Ivan was already causing some worry at the National Hurricane Center. When Max Mayfield, director of the hurricane center, first saw a satellite image of the strengthening storm, his reaction was, "Oh no."

Holweg said it wasn't unusual to have so many hurricanes at this time of year, which is nearing the peak of the hurricane season. What was unusual, he said, was for one state to be hit in such quick succession.

Center officials have predicted that there would be more tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic over the next several years.

Hurricane Charley hit Florida's southwest coast with 145 mph winds on Aug. 13 and crossed the state, killing 27 people and causing billions of dollars in damage. On Sunday, Hurricane Frances made landfall near Stuart with 105 mph winds.

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Associated Press Writer Jackie Hallifax in Tallahassee contributed to this report.

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National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov