Ophelia Back to Hurricane Strength

Ophelia regained hurricane strength Friday on a course that could take it onto the U.S. coast, and forecasters urged residents from northern Florida to the Carolinas to keep close watch on its path over the next few days.

The Category 1 storm had weakened to a tropical storm, but Friday evening, it had sustained winds of 75 mph. It was moving northeast at about 7 mph and was expected to keep on that track through today.

Ophelia has been hard to predict, forecasters said. It could go out to sea, but it might also head anywhere from north Florida to North Carolina, said Robbie Berg, a meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center.

“The models that we look at, most of them are going in all different directions,” Berg said.

Along the coast, many were anticipating the storm.

George Curovic, general manager of Manny’s restaurant, said it drew big crowds through last year’s hurricane season because it was one of the few in the Flagler Beach area with power. People are reacting differently this time, he said.

“Now they’re getting away,” Curovic said. “I think they’ve seen too much damage, too much death. All it takes is one tidal wave to wipe this place out.”

Florida has been hit by two hurricanes this year and six in the last 13 months. Many residents have stocked up on batteries, water and food.

“These people around here are veterans,” said Rick Storm, a clerk at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Merritt Island. “They are fully stocked and ready to go.”