Early this morning Tropical Storm Ernesto was upgraded to Hurricane status.

Ernesto could grow into a Category 3 hurricane by Thursday, menacing a broad swath of the Gulf Coast including hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, the hurricane center said earlier. Category 3 Hurricane Katrina struck the city a year ago Tuesday.

The National Hurricane Center is now updating every three hours. Here is part of the 8am Advisory:

AT 800 AM EDT…1200Z…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE ERNESTO WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.3 NORTH…LONGITUDE 73.4 WEST OR ABOUT 115
MILES…180 KM…SOUTHWEST OF PORT AU PRINCE HAITI AND ABOUT
210 MILES…340 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF GUANTANAMO CUBA.

ERNESTO IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH…15 KM/HR…
AND A NORTHWESTWARD TO WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED DURING
THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK…THE CENTER OF ERNESTO IS
EXPECTED TO PASS VERY NEAR SOUTHWESTERN TIP OF HAITI THIS AFTERNOON
OR EARLY EVENING …AND BE NEAR THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF CUBA
MONDAY MORNING.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH…120 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS…AND ERNESTO COULD BECOME A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE BEFORE IT
REACHES THE COAST OF CUBA.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 90 MILES…150 KM
FROM THE CENTER.

AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE OF 997 MB…29.44 INCHES.

The next update will be at 11:00 am.