Hurricane Emily Gains Strength but Keeps Forecasters Guessing

Hurricane Emily intensified Friday in the Atlantic Ocean, and forecasters said they expect it to continue gaining strength.

But the forecasters said it was too soon to say whether the hurricane will hit land. They said residents from North Carolina to southern Florida should keep an eye on the storm’s progress over the weekend.

By Friday evening the storm was 400 miles south of Bermuda and about 950 miles east of Florida. It was traveling west at 9 m.p.h. and was not expected to threaten land until at least Monday.

It was not clear if Emily would move in a westerly or northwesterly direction, said Bob Sheets, director of the National Hurricane Center.

“However, the chance of it hitting the East Coast of the United States continues to increase,” he said.

Sheets said there is one chance in 20 that the storm would strike the coast within 72 hours.

Some meteorologists were already speculating that Emily would be at least a Class III hurricane, with winds of 111 m.p.h. to 130 m.p.h. by early next week.

Many residents of southern Florida, who this week marked the first anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, were edgy.

Lumber yards reported a brisk business as people bought plywood to board up windows. Grocery, hardware and even office supply stores were busier than usual on Friday.

“We’d sell out of everything even if Emily is 600 miles from here,” said a clerk at an Office Depot. He was placing extra boxes of batteries on the shelves.