Hurricane Frances could hit Florida less than three weeks after Charley

A MENACING Hurricane Frances, packing 140mph winds, crept closer to the southeastern United States yesterday, and forecasters said Florida - still cleaning up after Charley - was at risk of another hurricane strike as soon as tomorrow.

As Frances closed in on the Bahamas, it was expected to fluctuate in intensity and could become a Category 5 storm with winds of 156mph or higher, said Jamie Rhome, a meteorologist with the National Hurricane Centre in Miami. The storm could hit anywhere from South Florida to South Carolina.

“This still is a huge threat to the southeast US coast,” Rhome said.