Paloma becomes Category 4 storm, heads toward Cuba - AP

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Paloma becomes Category 4 storm, heads toward Cuba

By TRENT JACOBS – 56 minutes ago

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Forecasters
say Hurricane Paloma has strengthened into an
"extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm with top
sustained winds of 135 mph (215 kmh).

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami
say data from a hurricane hunter aircraft indicated
that shortly before 5 a.m. EST the storm's intensity
increased to a Category 4, which has top sustained
winds of at least 131 mph.

The late-season storm has brought wind and rain to
the Cayman Islands, knocking down trees and signs.

Paloma is headed toward Cuba and could strike the
hurricane-ravaged island Saturday.

-snip-

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gVWjsPEiqe1tEu2mhBIRaxxGi8owD94AMKFG0

[Shipwack]

1. I guess merchants have already put away their hurricane items...

A few months ago a mere tropical depression in the mid-Atlantic would send all the people and news outlets in a tizzy.

Now we have a hurricane that is going to take it within a couple hundred miles of Miami, and it is barely a media blip.

Must be no profit in getting people scared about this.

[jpak]

2. A November Cat 4 - how many of those have we had over the last 100 years?

:shrug:

[phantom power]

3. Yes, may I be the first to say WTF?

Even in 2005, we were getting tropical storms at this point. Not cat-4.

[RL3AO]

4. Fifth major hurricane to form in November

3rd cat 4.