Ida strengthens to hurricane with winds of 75 mph over Caribbean as it nears Cancun, Mexico

November 7th, 2009 Ida spurs tropical-storm warnings in CaribbeanCANCUN, Mexico — Officials readied storm shelters along Mexico's Caribbean coast Saturday and told fishermen and tour operators to pull in their boats amid warnings that Tropical Storm Ida could become a hurricane as it neared the resort city of Cancun. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ida's winds strengthened to near 70 mph (110 kph), just short of a Category 1 hurricane.

November 7th, 2009 Ida spurs tropical storm warnings in CaribbeanMIAMI — Tropical storm warnings were issued Saturday for parts of Mexico and Cuba as Ida rapidly gained strength over Caribbean waters, and the storm could start affecting the U.S. Gulf Coast by Tuesday.

November 7th, 2009 Ida returns to tropical storm strengthMIAMI — Ida has become a tropical storm again, with top winds of 45 mph (72 kph), as it swirls in the Caribbean on a track that could bring it to the U.S. Gulf Coast next week.

November 6th, 2009 Ida drenches Central America, might approach USMANAGUA, Nicaragua — Former Hurricane Ida drenched Central America as a tropical depression Friday and edged back out over the Caribbean, where forecasters said it had some chance of regaining force and heading toward the United States. Ida had winds of 75 mph (125 kph) when it hit the central Nicaraguan coast Thursday, but it quickly lost force as it slogged inland and winds were down to about 35 mph (55 kph) Friday night, according to the U.S.

November 4th, 2009 Tropical Storm Ida strengthens in SW CaribbeanMIAMI — Tropical storm Ida is gaining strength in the southwest Caribbean, prompting a hurricane watch for the eastern coast of Nicaragua and storm warnings for two Colombian islands. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the ninth tropical storm of the season took shape Wednesday afternoon.

November 3rd, 2009 CANCUN - The restoration work of the beaches washed away during Hurricane Wilma has begun in Mexico's Caribbean resort city of Cancun, officials said. More than seven million cubic meters of sand will be required for the project in Cancun and Maya Riviera, but the current source in La Ollita has only 1.5 million cubic meters of sand, Felix Gonzalez Canto, governor of the Quintana Roo state, said Tuesday.

October 21st, 2009 Neki strengthens to Category 3 hurricane at seaHONOLULU — Forecasters say Neki has strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane far from land in Pacific, with top winds near 115 mph. On Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Neki was centered about 620 miles west-southwest of Honolulu and about 410 miles south of French Frigate Shoals.

September 2nd, 2009 Hurricane Jimena drops to Category 1 off MexicoMIAMI — Hurricane Jimena has lost more of its muscle, dropping to a Category 1 storm with 90 mph (145 kph) top winds off Baja California. Los Cabos resorts mopped up after an overnight lashing from the once-mighty hurricane, which weakened Wednesday as it doused the southern end of Mexico's sparsely populated Baja California Peninsula.

August 30th, 2009 Jimena strengthens to Category 4 storm in PacificMEXICO CITY — Jimena developed into a dangerous Category 4 storm off Mexico's Pacific coast Sunday, threatening to hit the Baja California peninsula as a major hurricane in coming days. Jimena swirled far enough away from land Sunday to spare Mexico's southwestern coastline, only sprinkling the port of Manzanillo with light drizzle.

August 19th, 2009 Hurricane Bill strengthens to a Category 4 stormMIAMI — Hurricane Bill has strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it rumbles across the Atlantic with maximum sustained winds near 135 mph. And forecasters say some additional strengthening is expected by the first hurricane of the Atlantic season.

August 15th, 2009 Category 2 Hurricane Guillermo moves out to seaMEXICO CITY — Hurricane Guillermo has strengthened into a Category 2 storm far off Mexico's Pacific coast. The National Hurricane Center says Guillermo's maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph (160 kph).

August 5th, 2009 Hurricane Felicia strengthens rapidly in PacificMIAMI — Forecasters say Hurricane Felicia is intensifying rapidly far out in the Pacific while Tropical Storm Enrique is weakening not far away. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Felicia's maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph and could become a major hurricane during the next day or so.

July 14th, 2009 Hurricane Carlos strengthens far off Mexico coastMEXICO CITY — Hurricane Carlos strengthened to a Category 2 storm and had a distinct small eye Tuesday as it moved farther out into the open Pacific. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, said the storm's winds had increased to near 105 mph (165 kph).

July 13th, 2009 Carlos strengthens again over the PacificMEXICO CITY — Tropical Storm Carlos strengthened again slightly on Monday as it headed west over the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. Carlos had maximum sustained winds near 65 mph (100 kph), with tropical storm-force winds extending outward up to 60 miles (95 kilometers) from the eye of the storm, said the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.

July 12th, 2009 Hurricane Carlos strengthens off Mexican coastMEXICO CITY — Hurricane Carlos swirled far off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday and was headed farther out to sea. The Category 1 hurricane had maximum sustained winds near 85 mph (135 kph) with additional strengthening expected, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.