Hurricane Dennis unleashed its fury on the island of Cuba Friday as the winds reached speeds of up to 150 miles per hour. Dennis is now a Category 4 storm and is considered the most powerful hurricane to hit the region this early in the Atlantic hurricane season.
The expected path of Dennis should take it away from South Florida and towards the Gulf of Mexico according to researchers tracking the storm. As of now, the most likely land target appears to be Pensacola, Florida, although that is subject to change.
Even if Dennis does not register a direct hit on South Florida, the region is expected to face severe flooding from the storm. Between three and five inches of rain are expected to hit South Florida between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning. Winds can still reach as high as 70 mph. Key West is expected to be hit with high winds and as much as 10 inches of rain as a result of the storm passing within 100 miles of the island.
Dennis hit the south central part of Cuba hard with winds recorded as high as 150 mph and as much as 15 inches of rain over the Sierra Maestra Mountains.
The storm is expected to weaken over Cuba but then re-intensify as it heads towards open waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane experts continue to follow the storm and track its progress.
