Hurricane Ivan is shaping up to be one of the most ferocious hurricanes in history. Tonight, it reached a speed of 165 mph. The Weather Channel announced that it is now a powerful Category-FIVE hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao have been fortunate to not get hit head-on the way Grenada was earlier this week.
This third hurricane, after Charley and Frances, has its eyes set on Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. The path beyond that is uncertain.
A hurricane is labeled such when heavy rains and winds move at 73-136 knots (12 on the Beaufort scale). Generally, hurricanes are accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning.
On August 17, 1969, Hurricane Camille gusted winds over 200 mph and provided surges of water which submerged two story houses, eventually evacuating more than 150,000 residents.
In 1900, Galveston Hurricane hit this small island off the coast of Texas. The category 4 hurricane was fueled by 145 mph winds.
The Biggest U.S. Storm of the 20th Century
"The most powerful hurricane ever to strike the U.S. coastline" developed in the Bahamas in 1935 before it hit the Florida coast. This Category 5 storm was called Labor Day Hurricane. It featured wind speeds over 200 mph and the lowest barometric pressure ever recorded. 17-foot high surges of water were reported.
For the latest on Ivan, go to Weather.com
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