Hurricane Ike regained strength and howled closer to the Turks and Caicos Islands Saturday, and forecasters shifted Ike's path south enough so that South Florida and the Keys may avoid a direct hit.
The latest forecast points Category 4 Ike on a course through Cuba Sunday and Monday, emerging in the Florida Straits Tuesday as a Category 1 storm after its interaction with land.
Its course from there is unclear, but Florida's Panhandle and the vulnerable Gulf Coast -- recently dealt a blow from Hurricane Gustav -- should be monitoring the storm. Forecasters said Ike could restrengthen into a major hurricane when it moves into the warm Gulf of Mexico next week.
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