Hurricane Gustav hits Haiti en route to Gulf
The fast-forming storm is sending global oil prices soaring on fears it could become "extremely dangerous" as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico.
Posted — Updated
The fast-forming storm is sending global oil prices soaring on fears it could become "extremely dangerous" as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico.
The hurricane was moving northwest near 10 mph.
Long-term predictions show the storm affecting either Cuba or Jamaica later this week.
WRAL meteorologist Nathan Johnson said models show Gustav gaining strength over the Gulf of Mexico to become a Category 3 storm by the weekend.
Gustav poses no threat to the Carolinas, Johnson said, but communities along the Gulf should be on alert.
"Realistically, (Gustav could make landfall) anywhere from Northern Mexicon to the panhandle of Florida, with the Houston to Mobile, Ala., corridor at the most direct risk," Johnson said.
The hurricane comes after Tropical Storm Fay killed 23 people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic earlier this month.
Copyright 2024 by WRAL.com and the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
