Hurricane Felix gathers strength
The second hurricane of the season is predicted to reach a category 3 storm.
| Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale |
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Category 2 – Winds 154-177kph Category 3 – Winds 178-209kph Category 4 – Winds 210-249kph Category 5 – Winds 249kph or higher |
Eric Blake, a forecaster at a hurricane centre in Miami, said: “We are forecasting it [Felix] to be a Category 3 hurricane in the northwestern Caribbean Sea by the middle of the week.”
Residents in Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao have been told to expect storm conditions within 24 hours.
The islands can expect up to 10cm of rain.
There are no indications that Felix will reach the Gulf of Mexico, where a third of US domestic crude oil and 15 per cent of natural gas production is located.
However, according to the national hurricane centre, long-range forecasts are unreliable.
Close monitoring
Energy markets have watched tropical storms and hurricanes since the Atlantic hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005, when hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Rita disrupted supplies.
The 2007 hurricane season is approaching its peak. Most storms occur between August 20 and mid-October, reaching a peak around September 10.
In late August, Dean hit Martinique, St Lucia and other islands in the Lesser Antilles chain.
It also hit Jamaica and then struck Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula before weakening over the Mexican mainland.