The leading edge of dangerous Hurricane Matthew has drenched Haiti, flooding streets and sending people scrambling to emergency shelters as the Category 4 storm threatened to batter the Caribbean's poorest nation.

One of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recent history weakened a little on Saturday as it roared across the Caribbean on a course that still puts Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba in the path of potentially-devastating winds and rain.

Weather system Hermine has weakened to a tropical storm as it moves inland after making landfall in Florida's Big Bend area as a hurricane.

Hurricane Hermine gained strength as it roared towards Florida's Gulf Coast, as residents were warned to flee inland if necessary amid a "life-threatening situation".

The death toll from the remnants of Hurricane Earl grew to 39 in Mexico as a new tropical storm formed off the country's Pacific Coast.

A rare January hurricane in the Atlantic is closing in on the Azores, with authorities in the Portuguese islands warning of waves up to 60ft high, wind gusts up to 100mph and torrential rain.

A rare January hurricane formed far out in the Atlantic is the first to form during the month since 1938, US officials say.

A hurricane warning has been issued as Carlos is expected to strengthen and increase its speed over coming days as it heads toward south-western Mexico.

Hurricane Gonzalo is roaring towards Bermuda with forecasters saying it is likely to bring life-threatening winds.

Residents and holidaymakers in Bermuda are battening down the hatches as Hurricane Gonzalo churns towards them as a major Category 3 storm.

Hurricane Gonzalo has gathered strength as it moves away from the eastern end of the Caribbean, and forecasters say it could become a powerful category 4 storm as it heads towards Bermuda.

Hurricane Arthur has weakened to a Category 1 storm in the Atlantic after bringing flooding and power outages to North Carolina’s Outer Banks overnight.

Hurricane Arthur has made landfall near the southern end of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

A greatly weakened Hurricane Raymond was staying at sea as its rains caused some flooding on Mexico’s Pacific coast and led authorities to evacuate a village threatened by mudslides from two soaked hills.

Newly formed Hurricane Raymond swirled towards Mexico’s southern Pacific coast today, an area already devastated by rains and mudslides from Tropical Storm Manuel last month.

Fifty-eight people are missing feared dead after a massive landslide smashed through a tiny coffee-growing village deep in Mexico’s southern mountains as storms battered the country.

Hurricane Sandy blasted across eastern Cuba today as a potent Category 2 storm and headed for the Bahamas after causing at least two deaths in the Caribbean.

Hurricane Sandy has hit Cuba after lashing shanty towns, stranding travellers and downing power lines across Jamaica.

Jamaicans stocked up on supplies and reinforced roofs ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Sandy, which is expected to hit the Caribbean island as a hurricane with lashing rain and wind.

Tropical Storm Rafael has lashed the eastern Caribbean with heavy rains which are expected to unleash floods on islands around the region.

Tropical Storm Leslie headed on a northward track towards Canada’s Newfoundland early today, after its outer bands buffeted Bermuda with a day of gusty winds and rain.

Hurricane Isaac has swept into New Orleans exactly seven years after the devastating Katrina, stranding people in cars and homes as it pushed flood waters over defences in one rural area.

Hurricane Isaac has lashed the Louisiana coast and is heading for a shuttered New Orleans, sending floodwaters surging and unleashing fierce winds.

Hurricane Isaac made landfall in south-east Louisiana today, with winds of nearly 80mph.

Isaac turned into a full-blown category 1 hurricane today as it rolled over the Gulf of Mexico toward Louisiana, where residents in four states left boarded-up homes and New Orleans waited nervously behind flood-defence levees strengthened after the devastating Katrina struck exactly seven years ago.

Tropical Storm Isaac churned across the Gulf of Mexico yesterday, disrupting US offshore energy production and threatening to hit Louisiana on the anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

A tropical storm threatening to grow into a hurricane is heading towards America’s Gulf Coast.

Tropical Storm Isaac gained fresh muscle today as it neared the Florida Keys, threatening to be at or near hurricane strength approaching the island chain.

Tropical Storm Isaac swept across Haiti’s southern peninsula today, bringing flooding and at least three deaths while adding to the misery of a poor nation still trying to recover from the 2010 earthquake.

A potential hurricane is posing a threat to next week’s Republican National Convention in Florida, which culminates in the nomination of Mitt Romney for presidential candidate.

Tropical storm Helene headed north along Mexico’s Gulf coast early today, posing a threat to areas where thousands of people were still recovering from flooding spawned last week by hurricane Ernesto.

Tropical Storm Ernesto has weakened to a tropical depression as it moves inland over Mexico, killing seven people and dumping rains in the mountains of Mexico’s flood-prone southern Gulf region.

Tropical Storm Ernesto has hit Mexico, killing two people as it moved inland and began drenching the flood-prone southern Gulf region.

Hurricane Ernesto has come ashore on Mexico’s Caribbean coast near the border with Belize, after hundreds of tourists left beach resorts and fishermen abandoned low-lying villages to avoid the threat.

Forecasters say Ernesto has become a hurricane off the coast of Honduras and is heading toward the Yucatan Peninsula.

Hurricane Bud is expected make land today in an area of beach resorts and small mountain villages on the Pacific coast stretching south from the Mexican resort of Puerto Vallarta.

Mexican authorities set up emergency shelters and cruise ships shifted course as Hurricane Rina strengthened off the Caribbean coast today, following a projected track through Cancun and the resort-filled Mayan Riviera, Mexico’s most popular tourist destination.

Hurricane Jova has strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane as it marches toward Mexico’s Pacific coast, threatening the idyllic beach resort of Barra de Navidad and one of the nation’s biggest cargo ports.

Forecasters said Hurricane Hilary has strengthened into a small, but powerful Category Four storm in the Pacific.

Flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee is being blamed for two deaths in Pennsylvania and numerous water rescues and road closures around a soggy north-eastern United States.

A rapidly strengthening Hurricane Irene is heading towards the Bahamas and threatening to become a monster storm.

Residents of Bermuda were today hauling their boats on to beaches and shuttering their homes as Tropical Storm Gert nears the archipelago.

Hurricane Richard slammed into Belize’s Caribbean coast just south of its largest city, as authorities evacuated tourists from outlying islands and an estimated 10,000 people took refuge at shelters in the tiny Central American nation.

A weakening Tropical Storm Paula dumped heavy rain on Cuba’s capital, Havana, turning some of the streets into shallow rivers and knocking out power before sliding along the island’s northern coast.