BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW

Updates on Hurricane Jeanne's threat to the Cape Canaveral spaceport will be posted on this page.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2004

The Kennedy Space Center suffered additional wind and water damage from Hurricane Jeanne, but officials said today the spaceport never experienced hurricane-force winds and that Frances caused considerably more damage. Read our full story.

1945 GMT (3:45 p.m. EDT)

A news conference is underway with Jim Kennedy, director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, and Col. Mark Owen, commander of the 45th Space Wing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The two men are giving a preliminary report on damage from Hurricane Jeanne.

The ground level winds at KSC were sustained at 54 mph with gusts to 64 mph. The roof of the 525-foot tall Vehicle Assembly Building saw sustained winds of 82 mph and gusts to 93 mph. By comparison, Frances gusted to 103 mph.

The VAB lost an additional 30 side panels during Jeanne, adding to the 820 that blew off during Frances. Each panel is 4 x 16 feet.

Space shuttles Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour, International Space Station hardware and NASA's Swift gamma-ray observatory have weathered the storm without harm.

At the air station, Boeing's Delta 2 and Delta 4-Heavy rockets and a Lockheed Martin Titan 4B have survived the hurricane on their launch pads. There was "no visible damage" to any of the rockets during initial inspections, Owen said. However, the vehicles remain to be tested, he noted.

Critical systems for the Air Force-controlled Eastern Range appear OK, but also remain to be fully checked out.

Both KSC and CCAFS saw several facilities with roof damage, water intrusion and other problems.

Impacts to the Cape launch schedule remain to be seen. The planned October 8 liftoff of the Delta 2 with a Global Positioning System satellite probably will be delayed, Owen said, due to lost time preparing for the launch.

NASA says senior managers meet Friday at which time they could decide if the space shuttle return-to-flight March 2005 target will be postponed due to Frances and Jeanne.

Meanwhile, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson reports that the Atlas launch facilities at the Cape have come through Jeanne without any significant problems. The first stage and Centaur upper stage for the next Atlas 5 rocket launch, which were delivered to the Cape last week, were not damaged in a storage bay at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center. That rocket will be erected next month for a planned mid-December liftoff from Complex 41.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2004

NASA and the Air Force plan a media news briefing at 3:30 p.m. EDT Monday to provide an update on damage inspections from Hurricane Jeanne. We will post information here as soon as it becomes available.

1630 GMT (12:30 p.m. EDT)

The hurricane rideout crew members are beginning their initial damage checks at the Cape spaceport now that winds have dropped to a safe level, NASA spokesman George Diller says.

"The in-place rideout team will continue to provide data to the Emergency Operations Center throughout the afternoon, setting the stage for the Disaster Assessment and Recovery Team members to report to station tomorrow morning," he said.

1215 GMT (8:15 a.m. EDT)

A short while ago, NASA spokesman George Diller, who is with the rideout crew at the Kennedy Space Center, reported critical spaceflight hardware appears to weathering the storm well.

"Up to this time no damage to the space shuttle orbiters or space station flight hardware has been observed," he said.

The shuttle fleet is housed in the three Orbiter Processing Facility bays near the Vehicle Assembly Building. The orbiters were powered down, closed up and jacked off the ground in readiness for the storm.

Kennedy's landmark, 525-ft tall Vehicle Assembly Building, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Frances three weeks ago, continues to lose siding panels, Diller said. The last storm ripped away some 820 metal panels, each measuring 4 by 16 feet in size. The roof of the cavernous building was also damaged.

1130 GMT (7:30 a.m. EDT)

The hurricane rideout crew at the Kennedy Space Center is waiting for winds to die down before venturing out to assess damage to the spaceport. Based on the rideout crew's initial report, the Disaster Assessment and Recovery Team (DART) is expected to be given clearance to enter the base Monday morning. Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Station will be closed to all but essential personnel on Monday.

1120 GMT (7:20 a.m. EDT)

It is sunrise on the spacecoast and Hurricane Jeanne is continuing its pounding of the Florida peninsula. The eye of the storm is currently located about 50 miles south of Orlando, with winds near to 100 mph. The hurricane came ashore around midnight local time near Stuart, Florida, about 90 miles south of the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Station. It is taking a similar track to that of Hurricane Frances, which hit Florida three weeks ago.

0945 GMT (5:45 a.m. EDT)

NASA's three shuttle orbiters are weathering the storm well in their hangars, NASA spokesman George Diller told reporter Bill Harwood a short while ago. Diller was speaking from the launch control center where space agency and air force officials are riding out the storm.

At 5:25 a.m. weather stations at the spaceport clocked winds of 62 mph. Readings from three-quarters of the wind sensors have been lost, presumably due to storm damage.

0915 GMT (5:15 a.m. EDT)

Hurricane Jeanne, packing winds of 120 mph, stormed ashore overnight near Stuart on the east coast of Florida.

As the hurricane marched inland it lost some strength and at 5 a.m. was downgraded to a Category 2 storm with winds of 110 mph.

Eyewitnesses in the southern portion of the Space Coast are reporting conditions more severe than those seen earlier this month from Hurricane Frances, which took almost the exact same track across the Florida peninsula.

Spaceflight Now staff in the Cape Canaveral area are sheltering as the storm passes. We will update this page as soon as information becomes available on conditions at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

0035 GMT (8:35 p.m. EDT Sat.)

A 206-member "rideout" team is on station at the Kennedy Space Center, braced for the onslaught of Hurricane Jeanne and hoping for a slight change in the storm's predicted track.

NASA spokesman George Diller, riding out the storm in NASA's Emergency Operations Center on the second floor of the Launch Control Center, said Air Force and space agency forecasters are expecting the hurricane to generate sustained winds of 75 mph with gusts to 100 mph for five hours Sunday as Jeanne moves across central Florida to the southwest.

Read our full story.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2004
2320 GMT (7:20 p.m. EDT)

The gates to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station are closed and Hurricane Condition 1 alert status has been declared. Rideout team members are positioned at their designated locations for the duration of the storm.

"The KSC and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station facilities have been made safe to the best extent possible under the circumstances," NASA spokesman George Diller said.

Hurricane-force winds are expected starting around 2 a.m. EDT and continue through Sunday morning, he said.

Radar indicated a possible tornado over KSC earlier this evening. However, there was no immediate word that the tornado touched down or caused any damage.

1255 GMT (8:55 a.m. EDT)

The U.S. flag flying from the Patrick Air Force Base flag pole here will be lowered in a traditional military ceremony today at 4 p.m. by the 45th Space Wing commander and some of the last Airmen to leave the base as it evacuates in advance of Hurricane Jeanne.

"This is a symbolic ceremony that shows while we are leaving our base, we remain united as a command under our flag," said Col. Mark Owen, commander of the 45th Space Wing. "We'll take the flag with us to Kennedy Space Center, where we'll ride out the storm in a hardened facility. Our hope is to raise the flag when we return to Patrick."

Col. Owen ordered the evacuations of Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, effective at 8:30 a.m. today, because of Hurricane Jeanne. This includes military family housing areas and Airmen's dormitories here. About 2,500 people live in those areas. Under the terms of this evacuation order, only residents of base housing, dormitories and military/civilian personnel living in quarters on the barrier islands or Merritt Island will be eligible for reimbursement of evacuation costs, as long as they stay in Florida.

Only a small contingent of personnel reported for duty today to conduct final button-down actions. Operations at both bases have closed. Most assigned aircraft were evacuated; a few are secured in hangars.

1145 GMT (7:45 a.m. EDT)

This update for the Patrick AFB and Cape Canaveral Spaceport community was prepared by the 45th Weather Squadron and is based upon the official National Hurricane Center forecast issued at 5 a.m. today:

"Hurricane Jeanne is currently 264 miles Southeast of PAFB/CCAFS. It is a Category 2 Hurricane with winds in excess of 90 knots (105 mph). It is moving West at 12 knots (14 mph) and in the general direction of the Central coast of Florida and PAFB/CCAFS. Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecasted to be 31 miles Southwest of PAFB/CCAFS on Sunday morning, September 26. At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 100 mph, heavy downpours, flooding, hail, and isolated tornados. At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 4 to 6 feet above normal tide level."

See the latest track here.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2004

The 45th Space Wing commander plans to order the evacuations of Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, effective at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning, because of Hurricane Jeanne, the Air Force has announced. This includes military family housing areas and Airmen's dormitories here. About 2,500 people live in those areas.

Under the terms of this evacuation order, only residents of base housing, dormitories and military/civilian personnel living in quarters on the barrier islands or Merritt Island will be eligible for reimbursement of evacuation costs, as long as they stay in Florida.

The forecasted path of Hurricane Jeanne has the storm possibly making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on the east central Florida coast sometime early Sunday morning, with the closest approach of hurricane force winds to the bases that afternoon.

In anticipation of the storm, all non-mission essential personnel were released from duty at noon today. The Base Exchange and Commissary are closed. All recreational facilities are closed. The airfields here and at Cape Canaveral AFS are closed. Most assigned aircraft were evacuated; a few are secured in hangars.

Base officials executed several protective measures aimed at securing facilities and reducing possible damage prior to the arrival of the storm.

There are three space launch vehicles on pads at Cape Canaveral AFS: a Delta 2 at Space Launch Complex 17B; a Delta 4-Heavy at SLC 37B and a Titan 4B at SLC 40. All have been secured inside their mobile service towers, which are designed to withstand winds up to 120 miles per hour.

In addition to securing critical resources and facilities, the 45th SW has set up Space Coast Middle School in Port St. John, Fla. as the primary evacuation site for base housing and dorm residents, organized response teams. Military records and irreplaceable documents were shipped to a safe location.

Base personnel and their families can get official Air Force information from these sources: the Air Force Personnel Center Evacuation Hotline, 1-800-435-9941; the Patrick AFB Hotline, 1-800-470-7232; the Patrick AFB Info Line, (321) 494-4636; and http://www.peterson.af.mil/patrick/.

Less than a month ago, both installations were evacuated due to Hurricane Frances.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2004
2100 GMT (5:00 p.m. EDT)

The Cape and Kennedy Space Center are shutting down to ride out Hurricane Jeanne. A hurricane warning is now in effect for the area.

Based on the latest projected track, the spaceport could be blasted by winds well over 100 mph on Sunday.

The three space shuttles have been secured in their hangars and three unmanned rockets -- a Titan 4, Delta 4-Heavy and Delta 2 -- are standing on launch pads.

Other space hardware at the Cape includes stages for the next Atlas 5 rocket located in a storage hangar, a Global Positioning System satellite, NASA's Swift gamma-ray observatory and numerous modules and pieces of the International Space Station awaiting launch.

Residents along the coast and Merritt Island are evacuating.

We will continue to post updates on this page over the weekend as information becomes available from NASA and Air Force officials.

1400 GMT (10:00 a.m. EDT)

The Space Coast is under a hurricane watch now. Here is the latest Air Force update based on the 5 a.m. forecast:

"Hurricane Jeanne is currently 490 nautical miles East-Southeast of PAFB/CCAFS. It is a Category 2 Hurricane with winds in excess of 85 knots (100 mph). It is moving West at 7 knots (8 mph) and in the general direction of the Central coast of Florida and PAFB/CCAFS. Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecast to be 15 miles Northeast of PAFB/CCAFS on Sunday afternoon, September 26.

"At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 120 mph, heavy downpours, flooding, hail, and isolated tornados. At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 7 to 10 feet above normal tide level."

0915 GMT (5:15 a.m. EDT)

Hurricane Jeanne continues to target the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral area in the latest forecast issued by the National Hurricane Center (see the track). The Florida spaceport is still recovering from Hurricane Frances, which struck earlier this month.

NASA's Kennedy Space Center will begin Hurricane Condition 2 (HURCON 2) preparations at 1000 GMT (6 a.m. EDT). Only personal needed for hurricane preparations should report for duty on Friday. At the present time a normal workday is planned on Friday for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station employees.

0350 GMT (11:50 p.m. EDT Thurs.)

Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral are within the target of yet another powerful hurricane as Jeanne churns toward a potential direct hit to the spaceport on Sunday with 120 mph winds.

The latest forecast track is available here.

KSC is currently in Hurricane Condition 3 alert status. HURCON 3 is declared at least 48 hours before the possible arrival of winds 58 mph or greater.

NASA plans to enter HURCON 2 at 6 a.m. Only essential personnel will go to work Friday. The KSC hurricane rideout crew is expected to be on station Saturday afternoon.

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station will remain in HURCON 3 and have a normal workday on Friday.

Following tonight's 11 p.m. official update from the National Hurricane Center, the 45th Weather Squadron provided this forecast for the Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Spaceport community:

"Hurricane Jeanne is currently 556 miles East-Southeast of PAFB/CCAFS. It is a Category 2 Hurricane with winds in excess of 90 knots (105 mph). It is moving West at 5 knots (6 mph) and in the general direction of the Central coast of Florida and PAFB/CCAFS. Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecast to be 10 miles of PAFB/CCAFS on Sunday afternoon, September 26. At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 120 mph, heavy downpours, flooding, hail and isolated tornados. At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 7 to 10 feet above normal tide level."

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2004
2245 GMT (6:45 p.m. EDT)

"This weather statement is for the Patrick AFB and Cape Canaveral Spaceport community and is based upon the official National Hurricane Center forecast issued at 5 p.m. on September 23.

"Hurricane Jeanne is currently 602 miles east-southeast of PAFB/CCAFS. It is a Category 2 Hurricane with winds in excess of 90 knots (105 mph). It is moving west at 7 knots (8 mph) and in the general direction of the Central coast of Florida and PAFB/CCAFS. Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecast to be 20 miles of PAFB/CCAFS on Sunday afternoon, September 26. At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 100 mph, heavy downpours, flooding, hail and isolated tornados. At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 7 to 10 feet above normal tide level.

1600 GMT (12:00 p.m. EDT)

Here is the 45th Weather Squadron update on Hurricane Jeanne issued at 11:50 a.m. EDT today:

Hurricane Jeanne is currently 622 miles southeast of PAFB/CCAFS. It is a Category 2 Hurricane with winds in excess of 90 knots (100 mph). It is moving west at 4 knots (5 mph) and in the general direction of the Florida central coast and PAFB/CCAFS. Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecast to be overhead of PAFB/CCAFS on Sunday afternoon, September 26.

At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 100 mph, heavy downpours, flooding, hail and isolated tornados. At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 6 to 8 feet above normal tide level.

Future changes in strength, movement, and landfall will probably occur and are difficult to forecast.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2004

Hurricane Ivan made landfall early Thursday morning near the Alabama-Florida border, doing significant damage to coastal communities in its path. NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans were west of the worst of the storm, and initial reports indicate there is little or no damage to those facilities. Read our full story.

Kennedy Space Center's nearly 14,000 employees returned to work this week, following an 11-day closure of the Center for Hurricane Frances. During the closure, the Damage Assessment and Recovery Team worked on-site to determine the extent of damage from the storm, which brought sustained winds greater than 70 mph and gusts as high as 94 mph. Read our full story.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2004

The fury of Hurricane Frances put a Boeing Delta 2 launch on hold and prompted extensive inspections, but pre-flight preparations are resuming for the rocket's mission to haul a replacement Global Positioning System satellite into space. Read our full story.

The U.S. Congress is being asked to budget $126 million to repair hurricane damage at Kennedy Space Center in the wake of Frances' blast from Labor Day weekend. Read our full story.

Seen through the eyes of the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer aboard NASA's Terra satellite, the menacing clouds of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan provide a wealth of information that can help improve hurricane forecasts. Read our full story.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2004

The Kennedy Space Center, reeling from widespread wind and water damage caused by Hurricane Frances, will remain closed to normal work until Monday at the earliest while engineers complete a detailed damage assessment. Updating initial damage reports, the center director said Tuesday the Vehicle Assembly Building lost large areas of side paneling, leaving gaping "windows" into the building's interior that are open to the elements. Read our full story.

Additional coverage for subscribers:
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Three unmanned rockets standing on launch pads at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station escaped serious damage during Hurricane Frances, the 45th Space Wing's commander said Tuesday. Read our full story.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2004

Hurricane Frances battered the Kennedy Space Center with sustained winds of more than 70 mph, ripping off an estimated 40,000 square feet of siding on the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building and partially destroying the roof of a critical heat shield tile facility needed for NASA's shuttle return to flight effort. Read our full story.

Additional coverage for subscribers:
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2030 GMT (4:30 p.m. EDT)

The initial report from Lockheed Martin indicates the Atlas launch pads and facilities at Complex 36 and 41 have escaped without any major damage. There are no Atlas rockets at the Cape currently.

We're still waiting word on the Titan 4 rocket standing on Complex 40 and Boeing's Delta 2 and Delta 4-Heavy vehicles on pads 17B and 37B.

2000 GMT (4:00 p.m. EDT)

Hurricane Frances battered the Kennedy Space Center with sustained winds of more than 70 mph, ripping off an estimated 40,000 square feet of siding on the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building and partially destroying the roof of a critical heat shield tile facility needed for NASA's shuttle return to flight effort. Read our full story.

1830 GMT (2:30 p.m. EDT)

Hurricane Frances has battered the Kennedy Space Center's 525-ft high Vehicle Assembly Building ripping off over 1000 panels from its exterior, Center Director Jim Kennedy told reporters a short while ago. With another Hurricane possibly on course to hit Florida this weekend, the space agency is worried.

"The VAB is something of concern," Kennedy said."Not only because of the initial damage but because of the potential that Ivan brings to us. Our weather people tell us that Ivan could be at the backdoor of KSC as early as Saturday."

Ivan is a powerful hurricane packing winds of 115 miles per hour, currently located 360 miles east-southeast of Barbados.

Although power was lost to all three Orbiter Processing Facilities (OPFs), which shelter the shuttle fleet, there was no siginificant damage to the buildings other than some minor water intrusion beneath doors. Power has been restored to OPF bays 1 and 2, but not yet at bay 3, which houses Discovery, the shuttle slated for NASA's post-Columbia return to flight.

NASA's efforts to return the shuttle fleet to flight could also be impacted by extensive damage to the tile manufacturing facility at the space center.

"We believe that the roof is partially gone," Kennedy said. "There is extensive water damage within the facility."

Until repairs can be made, NASA is considering reactivating a recently closed tile manufacturing facility in Palmdale, California, according to Kennedy.

With each panel on the side of the VAB measuring 4 by 10 feet, Kennedy estimated 40,000 square feet has been exposed to the elements. The damage occured on the south and east facing side.

A portion of the grandstand roof at the space center press site has been ripped away and the roof of the news center facility has been damaged.

Kennedy Space Center employees, except those in Disaster Assessment and Recovery Teams, are not to report to work tomorrow.

1620 GMT (12:20 p.m. EDT)

NASA has released the first damage assessment for the Kennedy Space Center:

"Emergency crews are on site at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and are providing the first information on conditions there following Hurricane Frances. They report that key buildings such as the Launch Control Center and the massive, white Vehicle Assembly Building are still standing.

"The emergency crews see some exterior damage to the VAB, where Space Shuttles are readied for launch. There are a significant number of panels missing from the exterior. The Shuttles themselves rode out the storm in their hangars, known as Orbiter Processing Facilities. We do not yet have information on conditions there."

1430 GMT (10:30 a.m. EDT)

A team has entered the Kennedy Space Center and is activating generators to power the spaceport's emergency operations center. The first detailed damage reports are not expected to be made public until this afternoon.

0045 GMT (8:45 p.m. EDT)

Security, fire and other emergency workers will be meeting at the Kennedy Space Center's gates on Monday morning at 7 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT) to assess any damage from Hurricane Frances. Based on the initial assessment, additional recovery crews could start work as early as 1 p.m.

The only damage so far visible at the space center is the sad sight of a toppled Mercury-Redstone rocket that once stood upright at the Pass and ID building on the NASA Causeway near Titusville.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2004
1825 GMT (2:25 p.m. EDT)

Damage assessment teams are to enter the Kennedy Space Center on Monday as Hurricane Frances leaves the area and severe weather conditions ease, the space agency said Sunday.

"Although there is extensive flooding in the area, the maximum sustained winds at KSC did not appear to be strong enough to cause major structural damage to facilities. But emergency operations personnel do not have any confirmed reports of damage, minor or major, at this time," NASA said in an update posted to its website.

Winds will have to drop below 40 miles per hour for damage assessment teams to enter the space center across the causeways connecting Merritt Island with the mainland. That is not expected to happen to happen before 8 p.m. EDT tonight.

1640 GMT (12:40 p.m. EDT)

The Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral area has taken a beating from Hurricane Frances. Wind gusts of up to 124 miles per hour were clocked at Port Canaveral, just south of the Florida Spaceport.

The massive, slow moving storm is still making its way across the Florida peninsula and damage assemement teams may not be able to reach the space center until late Sunday or even Monday.

Last week, NASA workers took steps to protect the space shuttle fleet, other spacecraft hardware and facilities against damage. An Atlas 2 rocket launched out of harm's way on Tuesday after four scrubbed launch attempts.

We will update this page when more information becomes available. Spaceflight Now staff based in Cape Canaveral are hunkered down and updates could be sporadic due to power and communication outages.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2004

Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station are now closed to all personnel as the spaceport braces for Hurricane Frances. Emergency management officials will return to KSC and CCAFS after the storm passes to reactivate the operations center, followed by the damage assessment and recovery teams.

The hurricane's predicted path shows landfall south of the Cape midday Saturday. The forecast track takes Frances across the Florida peninsula and into the Gulf of Mexico very slowly over the weekend.

"KSC houses some of the jewels of America's space flight program," said Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Readdy. "We've taken every precaution to secure our spacecraft and facilities and to keep our workers safe. In 40 years of space flight operations at Cape Canaveral, we've never sustained a direct hit from a hurricane, but we've always been prepared," he said.

1600 GMT (12:00 p.m. EDT)

The Cape area is now under a hurricane warning. All beachside and Merritt Island residents are being evacuated. As a result, the Spaceflight Now staff is heading for safety. Updates to this page will posted when possible.

0945 GMT (5:45 a.m. EDT)

From the 45th Weather Squadron based on the 5 a.m. National Hurricane Center update:

Hurricane Frances is currently 609 miles southeast of PAFB/CCAFS. It is a Category 4 Hurricane with winds in excess of 125 knots (144 mph). It is moving northwest at 11 knots and in the general direction of the Florida central coast and PAFB/CCAFS. Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecast to be 61 miles southwest of PAFB/CCAFS on Saturday, September 4 at 8 p.m. At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 100 mph, heavy downpours, street flooding, hail and isolated tornados. At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 12 feet above normal tide level.

0325 GMT (11:25 p.m. EDT Wed.)

The new forecast track from the National Hurricane Center brings Frances into Florida a bit further south than the advisory issued earlier Wednesday. Here is the latest update from the 45th Weather Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base/Cape Canaveral:

Hurricane Frances is currently 682 miles southeast of PAFB/CCAFS. It is a Category 4 Hurricane with winds in excess of 125 knots (143 mph). It is moving northwest at 12 knots (14 mph) and in the general direction of the Florida central coast and PAFB/CCAFS. Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecast to be 58 miles southwest of PAFB/CCAFS on Saturday, September 4 at 2 p.m. At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 100 mph, heavy downpours, street flooding, hail and isolated tornados. At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 12 feet above normal tide level.

0231 GMT (10:31 p.m. EDT Wed.)

A hurricane watch has been issued for a long stretch of Florida's eastern coast including Cape Canaveral.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2004
2107 GMT (5:07 p.m. EDT)

Here is the latest update from the Air Force meteorologists at Cape Canaveral:

Hurricane Frances is currently 649 miles southeast of PAFB/CCAFS. It is a Category 4 Hurricane with winds in excess of 120 knots (140 mph).  It is moving northwest at 13 knots (15 mph) and in the general direction of the Florida central coast and PAFB/CCAFS.  Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecast to be 7 miles southwest of PAFB/CCAFS on Saturday, September 4 at 4 p.m.  At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 100 knots (115 mph), heavy downpours, street flooding, hail and isolated tornados.  At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 15 feet above normal tide level.

2100 GMT (5:00 p.m. EDT)

Kennedy Space Center's alert status has been raised to Hurricane Condition 2, which means the site could see winds over 50 knots within the next 24 hours.

1610 GMT (12:10 p.m. EDT)

With Hurricane Frances threatening Florida's east coast, the Kennedy Space Center will shut down Thursday to give workers a chance to prepare for the approaching storm. Read our full story.

1525 GMT (11:25 a.m. EDT)

The 11 a.m. update from 45th Weather Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base/Cape Canaveral has been issued:

"Hurricane Frances is currently 730 miles southeast of PAFB/CCAFS. It is a Category 4 Hurricane with winds in excess of 120 knots (140 mph). It is moving northwest at 15 knots (17 mph) and in the general direction of the Florida central coast and PAFB/CCAFS. Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecast to be 38 miles southwest of PAFB/CCAFS on Saturday, September 4 at 11 a.m.

"At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 100 knots (115 mph), heavy downpours, street flooding, hail and isolated tornados. At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 13 feet above normal tide level.

"Future changes in strength, movement, and landfall will probably occur and are difficult to forecast."

The official forecast track from the National Hurricane Center is available here.

1400 GMT (10:00 a.m. EDT)

Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral are preparing for the potential impact from Hurricane Frances as the powerful Category 4 storm churns toward Florida's east coast.

A Hurricane Condition 3 alert has been declared, which means 50-knot winds could be experienced within 48 hours.

Workers have begun securing facilities and preparing space hardware to ride out the hurricane.

NASA's three space shuttles are parked in their KSC hangars with the payload bay doors closed and landing gear stowed.

NASA said it was also taking precautions against flooding by moving other equipment off the ground and sandbagging buildings.

At the nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, there are three rockets on launch pads -- a Lockheed Martin Titan 4 at Complex 40, the inaugural Boeing Delta 4-Heavy at Complex 37B and a Boeing Delta 2 on pad 17B. Workers will secure the vehicles inside their mobile service towers as best as possible.

According to the 45th Weather Squadron's 5 a.m. update, Hurricane Frances was 809 miles southeast of Patrick Air Force Base and the Cape.

"It is a Category 4 hurricane with winds in excess of 120 knots (140 mph). It is moving northwest at 15 knots (17 mph) and in the general direction of the Florida central coast and PAFB/CCAFS. Given this movement, the closest point of approach to PAFB/CCAFS is currently forecast to be 30 miles southwest of PAFB/CCAFS on Saturday, September 4 at 8 p.m.

"At that time, PAFB/CCAFS could experience wind speeds in excess of 100 knots (115 mph), heavy downpours, street flooding, hail and isolated tornados. At landfall, this hurricane could produce a storm surge along the immediate coast in excess of 12 feet above normal tide level."