The second named storm of the 2009 season has grown into a minimal hurricane, the season's first, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Bill now sports top sustained winds of 75 mph as it churns across the Atlantic. While it is still far east of any landmass, Bill is expected to continue to strengthen, reaching Category 3 on the Safif-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity in the next few days, with top sustained winds fo 155 mph.
Here is the latest advisory on Bill. Here is the forecast storm track. And here is the view from orbit.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Claudette (map above) has come ashore in the panhandle of Florida, where it has begun to weaken. High winds and heavy rains are the main story down there. The storm's remnants are expected to drop 3 to 6 inches of rain - and in spots up to 10 inches - along a path through Alabama, Mississippi, and reaching inland as far as Tennessee in the next few days.
Here is the latest advisory. Here is the forecast storm track. And here is the view from space. And here is the forecast for Montgomery, Alabama.
Finally, what was once Tropical Storm Ana remains badly disorganized in the northeastern Caribbean. But the depression remains a heavy rain threat to the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Here is the latest advisory. Here is the forecast storm track. And here is the view from space.
In the meantime, our forecast continues to call for more hot, humid, summery weather, with highs near 90 degrees for the rest of the week. Rain won't become a factor for another day or two. And we won't see a break from the heat until the weekend. Sticky.
Hurricane Bill, 2009 
, the first hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic storm season, recently formed over the ocean.

The storm is expected to gain strength over the next few days, with maximum wind speeds reaching 90 miles per hour, and sustained winds up to 75 mph. Bill is expected to reach the third category on the .

As of 11.00 EDT, Bill was centered approximately 1,080 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, heading east-northeast at about 16 miles per hour. Forecasts suggest the storm may pass northeast of Puerto Rico and advance toward Bermuda.

US National Hurricane Center meteorologist Daniel Brown said that "we do believe the storm could become a major hurricane during the next couple of days."

Bill may also impact the U.S. East Coast by next weekend. All interests potentially in the path of the storm are advised to track its progress over coming days.