Gustav was upgraded from tropical storm to hurricane status earlier today, is blowing in with winds clocked at 85 mph and may become a Category 2 storm, with winds accelerating to at least 96 mph before making landfall, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
“On this track this hurricane should move over southwestern Haiti later today and near or just south of Cuba on Wednesday,” the center said. “Intense rains may produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.”
Gustav is projected to cross Cuba and Jamaica before hitting the Gulf of Mexico next week, where it may disrupt oil production next week. The Gulf is home to about one-fifth of all U.S. oil production.
Fourteen to 18 named storms are forecasted to develop this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.