Hurricane Lili gaining strength

Hurricane Lili continues moving across the Gulf Wednesday morning, gaining power and forcing residents from Texas to Florida to make preparations for a powerful storm. <br> <br> Lili is centered about 440 miles south-southeast of New Orleans. Movement remains to the west-northwest at a rapid 16 miles an hour, with a light turn to the northwest expected in the coming day or so. <br> <br> Top sustained winds are now up to 105 miles an hour. Forecasters say that will increase, and Lili could be a Category Three hurricane before landfall in Louisiana. While the hurricane has a tight center of circulation, tropical storm-force winds are out 185 miles and the entire northern Gulf coast should see at least higher tides and at least some rain from the system. <br> <br> A hurricane warning is posted from High Island, Texas, to the mouth of the Mississippi River. There&#39;s a tropical storm warning west to Freeport, Texas, and east to the Florida/Alabama state line. <br> <br> Lili is expected to turn northwest and possibly north between now and landfall in about a day and a half. This could mean some adjustments in the watch and warning areas. <br> <br> Lili centered at latitude 24.0 north, longitude 87.9 west.

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