Hanna threatens southeast U.S. coast

Forecasters predict Hanna could become a hurricane again by the end of the day today and the eye of the storm could make landfall Friday close to Hilton Head Island.

The storm's path is expected to be much clearer later today once Hanna makes a much anticipated turn to the north. Late Tuesday, the projected landfall alternated between Savannah and Beaufort County with each update.

Pete Mohlan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston, said Hanna could hit anywhere from northern Florida to Charleston. But "even if the system does not make landfall in the immediate area, any area north and east of the storm would be in the worst conditions," he said. "Southern Georgia, the Hilton Head area would experience strong winds, potential tornadoes and heavy rains."

As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, Hanna was a tropical storm with sustained winds of 65 mph. The storm moved very little Tuesday night -- drifting slightly eastward -- and was maintaining tropical force winds, which extended out 230 miles from the eye.

The storm is expected to start moving late today in a north or northwestern path from the Bahamas to the southeast United States. At that point, meteorologists will have a better idea of Hanna's path.

"By (this) evening, she should have started moving and by then we should a get a little bit better handle over which areas will have a little greater threat," said Frank Alsheimer's, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston. "But certainly, any area along the coast of Georgia and South Carolina is well within the cone of risk."

Dennis Feltgen, a meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center, said there is still "a great deal of uncertainty" regarding the storm's path, but Hanna could intensify to a Category 1 or 2 hurricane today.

A Category 1 storm has wind speeds of 74 to 95 mph. A Category 2 has winds of 96 to 110 mph.

Hanna weakened somewhat Tuesday evening as it moved over the southeastern Bahamas due to strong wind shears above the storm. If those conditions remain, it would be less likely the storm would intensify, Mohlan said.

"However, it's been an unusual season," Mohlan said. "High pressure over the Atlantic will allow it to build westward to the U.S. That's the main steering mechanism. The winds around it are clockwise, so it would force the system to move toward the southeast U.S., provided it's still able to hold its own."

Beaufort County residents should begin to see heavy rains and strong winds Thursday night. The storm is predicted to bring 85 mph winds by Friday and a possible 7- to 11-foot storm surge, Mohlan said.

"Severe damage is possible to trees and power lines," Mohlan said, "and also moderate to major damage to structures. ... Significant coastal flooding and surge is possible."

Swells from Hanna are expected to increase the risk of dangerous rip currents along portions of the southeastern United States coast during the next couple of days.

Meanwhile, Hanna's relentless rains hit Haiti's northern edge a week after Hurricane Gustav drenched central and southern Haiti and two weeks after Tropical Storm Fay struck the country. More than 100 Haitians have died from floods and mudslides caused by the three storms.

"The situation is as bad as it can be," said Vadre Louis, a U.N. investigator based in Gonaives. "The wind is ripping up trees. Houses are flooded with water. Cars can't drive on the street. You can't rescue anyone wherever they may be."

Hanna's movement has been agonizingly slow for people in the tourist magnets of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos.

Trees snapped and power was out in Providenciales, the capital of the Turks and Caicos islands.

As the storm began its slow march over Great Inagua, there was "a bit of heavy wind," that toppled some power lines but caused no major damage or injuries, Royal Bahamas Police Force Inspector Dencle Barr said from the island. Great Inagua still faced another 12 hours or so of Hanna's passage.

Hanna prompted NASA to put off shifting the space shuttle Atlantis from an assembly building at Florida's Kennedy Space Center to the launch pad for at least a day. The move had been scheduled for Tuesday in preparation for an October mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Newly formed Tropical Storm Ike was cruising westward across the central Atlantic and was projected to come near the storm-weary Bahamas by Sunday. It had winds of 60 mph and could become a hurricane today.

Still farther to the east, Tropical Storm Josephine formed Tuesday, and it was heading west at about 15 mph. The hurricane center said it could near hurricane force today or Thursday, but it is unlikely the storm will muster enough steam to make it all the way across the Atlantic, the National Weather Service said.

Daniel Brownstein contributed to this story.