Storm could become hurricane -- again
 

Tropical storm Ida could become hurricane -- again
November 8, 2009 -- Updated 0222 GMT (1022 HKT)

Earlier this week, Ida made landfall as a hurricane over east central Nicaragua, grounding ships and causing damage.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Tropical storm Ida could regain hurricane status Saturday night as it heads toward the Gulf Coast.

The northern Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico is under a hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning, the National Hurricane Center said.

Pinar del Rio, in western Cuba, is also under a tropical storm warning, the center said. During a hurricane watch, hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours. Tropical storm conditions are possible within 24 hours under a tropical storm watch.

Ida made landfall as a hurricane Thursday morning over east central Nicaragua, pelting the Central American nation with heavy rain before weakening to a tropical storm.

At 7 p.m. ET, Ida was heading north-northwest at about 10 mph (17 kph) and was about 180 miles (290 km) east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, the hurricane center said.

Forecasters expect the storm, with winds of 70 mph (110 kph), to reach hurricane status by Saturday night or early Sunday. If the storm becomes a hurricane again, however, it could lose power and downgrade back to a tropical storm in the coming days.

As Ida crosses the Yucatan Channel, the Yucatan Peninsula and western Cuba could get 3 to 5 inches of rain; some areas could see as many as 10 inches, the center said. The Gulf Coast could experience heavy rain and coastal flooding next week as Ida approaches the area.

Ida is the Atlantic region's ninth named storm. The Atlantic hurricane season ends November 30.

CNN meteorologists Dave Hennen and Jacqui Jeras contributed to this report.

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