Bill becomes a major category four hurricane

(CNS): The first hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic season has wasted no time in reaching ‘major’ status. At 8:30pm (AST) the National Hurricane Centre in Miami announced that Bill had become a category three hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 125 mph. By 5:00 am AST however, Bill was a category four with winds up to 135 mph.

Located less than 460 miles east of the Leeward Islands moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the centre and tropical storm force winds up to 175 miles.

The NHC said the west-northwest motion is expected to continue with a turn toward the northwest is expected during the next 24hr, Forecasters are also predicting that Bill will intensify.  On this track the core of Bill will be passing well to the northeast of the northern Leeward Islands late Wednesday and early Thursday. At this stage Bill still poses no threat to the Cayman Islands