National Storm Management Inc (NSMG)

[Gigwoof]

NSMG - Tropical Storm Florence will likely become the first major hurricane of the 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season by this weekend. While the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center is forecasting the most likely scenario will send Florence away from the East Coast toward Atlantic Canada, there is concern that the powerful hurricane could strike the East Coast of the United States.

At 10 a.m. EDT, Tropical Storm Florence was located a little more than 1,000 miles southeast of Bermuda. Sustained winds have increased slightly, and are now around 55 mph with gusts to about 70 mph. The storm is moving west-northwest at 10 mph. The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center meteorologists are forecasting over the next 24 hours Florence will continue on its west-northwest track around the southern periphery of an area of high pressure. Through the weekend and early next week, the high will shift to the east and the clockwise winds circulating around the high will guide Florence more to the northwest and then the north. This path would take Florence over Bermuda, battering the island nation with flooding rains and hurricane-force winds. As next week gets underway, a trough of low pressure moving off the Northeast coast will steer Florence to the northeast. While the U.S. East Coast would avoid a direct hit, Atlantic Canada will be in the storm's path.

Even if Florence does not make landfall on the East Coast, it will not pass quietly. As Florence turns away from the United States early next week, coastal areas from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to Maine will have to endure high surf and rough seas.

While this is the most likely scenario, AccuWeather.com is concerned about the potential that Florence could strike the East Coast. If the high remains strong enough in its current position, Florence's swing towards the North Atlantic will not take place until after the storm batters the East Coast.

Florence is expected to become the first major hurricane of the 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season. As the storm continues to move to the west-northwest, the surrounding environment will become more conducive for strengthening. Florence will move over warmer waters and the strong winds blowing the thunderstorm cloud tops away from the storm's center will lessen. By Friday, Florence is forecast to become the second hurricane this year, and is expected to intensify into a major hurricane; with maximum-sustained winds of 111 mph or higher, by Sunday.

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/news-top-headline.asp