Ernesto could reach coast of Carolinas as hurricane: NHC

Ernesto could reach coast of Carolinas as hurricane: NHC

Washington (Platts)--31Aug2006

Tropical Storm Ernesto's winds have increased to near 70 miles per hour
and it could make landfall somewhere along the South or North Carolina coast
as a hurricane later Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said.

In its 2 pm EDT advisory, the agency put Ernesto's center at about 90
miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. The storm is moving toward the
north-northwest at a speed of nearly 17 miles per hour.

The NHC said data from a government reconnaissance aircraft show that
maximum sustained winds have increased to near 70 mph with higher gusts.

Progress Energy, whose two-unit Brunswick nuclear plant is located near
Southport, North Carolina, near where the storm could make landfall, said
Thursday that it is closely monitoring Ernesto, but does not now plan to shut
down the units or reduce their output.

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http://www.platts.com/Resources/specialreport/

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