Ophelia Strengthens Into Hurricane

Tropical Storm Ophelia strengthened into a hurricane as it stalled 70 miles off the northeast Florida coast Thursday, churning waves that caused beach erosion and drenching Kennedy Space Center.

Thursday evening, Ophelia had top sustained winds of 75 mph, just over the threshold to be classified a hurricane, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said.

But forecasters said it was still unclear where Ophelia was headed.

The hurricane center says there is a chance Ophelia could be off the South Carolina coast this week. But Cocoa Beach is still the most likely target as the storm is expected to move very little through Sunday.

The Jacksonville area began experiencing brisk wind and forceful rain on Wednesday.

"We are as ready as we can be," said Eric Fort, general manager of a Jacksonville Beach hotel, as he stocked up on canned goods. "People are concerned. All it takes is a look at New Orleans to understand the strength of Mother Nature."

Ophelia is the 15th named storm of the season.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm could bring high wind and rain across portions of central and northern Florida and southeastern Georgia over the next few days.

"This one is going to keep everybody on the edge of their seats for quite some time," National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Letro in Jacksonville said.

Hurricane Dennis hit northwestern Florida in July and Hurricane Katrina hit south Florida last month, killing 11 people before destroying parts of Louisiana and Mississippi four days later.

Hurricanes Nate and Maria were churning elsewhere in the Atlantic, but neither was considered a threat to the United States.

Maria and Nate were the fifth and sixth hurricanes of the Atlantic season, which began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. Peak storm activity typically occurs from the end of August through mid-September.