northeast of Cape Canaveral, but forecasters said it was impossible to say what path the storm would take, or whether it would reach hurricane strength with winds of at least 74 mph (118 kph). "We have to wait and see what (Ophelia) is going to do. The possibilities are endless," said Steve Letro, a meteorologist with the U.S. National Weather Service in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville area began experiencing brisk wind and forceful rain on Wednesday. "We are as ready as we can be," said Eric Fort, general manager of a Jacksonville Beach hotel, as he stocked up on canned goods. "People are concerned. All it takes is a look at New Orleans to understand the strength of Mother Nature." Ophelia is the 15th named storm of the season. At 5 a.m. EDT (0900GMT), its top sustained winds increased to 60 mph (96 kph), but it remained nearly stationary. --more 1455 Local Time 1155 GMT
