Carolinas. The hurricane could bring flash flooding, spawn tornadoes and cause a dangerous storm surge. Meteorologist kathy sabine joins us, the storm hitting just ahead of the labor day weekend. Unbelievable. It is the first hurricane to hit that area since 2005. Theyre bracing for that tonight. Well start in the pacific because madeline which was threatening hawaii has been downgraded now to a Tropical Storm and just passing south of the big island overnight. Now were tracking lest is pushing west over the open pacific and may impact the big island over the holiday weekend. A hurricane watch is issued for maui county and much of the big island tonight and lester will weaken as it moves near or north of hawaii saturday and sunday, could be a hurricane to really contend with for those that will enjoy the holidays on that island. So it is the third major category 3 storm or stronger in the eastern pacific and Hurricane Season started early major storm in the gulf. A tornado watch has been posted from tampa to jacksonville. A Flash Flood Watch across the carolinas. Hurricane hermine upgraded to a category 1 storm will probably make land fall, go back to Tropical Storm status but affect much of the eastern seaboard through the upcoming holiday weekend. Hurricane gaston further east of bermuda does not appear impactful for the area, but certainly the tropics are heating up. In denver quiet weather for a change. Well leu pattern continues into the upcoming holiday weekend. Coming in our main weather segment, weve got a better chance of rain. Well detail all that in a few minutes. Okay. See you in a bit. Despite not dealing with hurricanes in colorado some sciences and researchers scientists and researchers in our state are helping improve the forecast for those storms. Way. Reporter normally its in an airplane hangar in broomfield, but right now this gulfstream 5 is far from home. This is a really important time to understand these observations as these storms approach land in the united states. Reporter noaa operates this High Altitude research plane. 9news first showed you inside earlier this year. Its normally based in broomfield, but now way to the Pacific Ocean to track hurricane lester which is expected to hit hawaii. As they come on land, we need to know how strong the winds are, how strong the storm surge is. Without the realtime observations of that you can put people in much more danger without understanding that data. Reporter the data is collected with these, disposable sensors dropped from the plane at 45,000 feet falling all the way down through the storm. Theyre the workhorse of Hurricane Research and last several decades, but they kind of look like the inside of a paper towel roll for lack of a better word and it has several sensors inside, temperature, winds, pressure, humidity. Reporter all critical information that can improve hurricane forecasting and potentially save lives in the path of the storm. Maya rodriguez, 9news. Noaa normally uses a different plane for this work, but its undergoing maintenance. So the colorado plane was called up to fill in. The staff post is mourning the loss of a reporter who was hit and killed while crossing the street at an intersection last night. Colleen oconnor was crossing near first avenue and downing just before 8 00 when the car hit her. Denver police say the driver is being investigated for vehicular homicide and dui. Police say witnesses saw oconnor in a crosswalk, but they say she was crossing against the signal. It was originally reported that she was walking her bicycle or riding it, but Denver Police the driver, 23yearold jesus garino, had a green light, stopped 8 blocks away and then called police and police said there were indications he had been drinking. Oconnors colleagues at the post respected her and said she was a good reporter. She joined the post in 2004 and has a reputation for her sensitive approach in covering difficult stories. Friends and colleagues today places cards and flowers on her team is in shock over the sudden loss of such a kind and talented journalist. Using somebody who was a very brilliant writer, a very digy reporter, a very diggy reporter, a very brilliant reporter, but its sad for our community, too because she was connected into a lot of Different Community groups out there. It will be up to the d. A. They are not investigating him for that because he called police and stopped a few blocks from the crash. Police released more details about the death of a suspect yesterday afternoon in southwest denver. They say officers shot and killed the suspect as they struggled over the gun. Police were called to a home where a man was inside wanted on warrants. Officers were let inside, but the suspect escaped out a back window. Michael ferguson didnt get far because officers were also outside the home. An officer tackled him struggled. Police say the suspect tried to grab an officers gun that went off. Another officer shot the suspect. Two officers were hurt and were treated and later released from the hospital. Adams county investigators are looking for a person of interest who might know something about a shooting that left a man dead. Someone found the body of a man outside a home near raritan street and west 76th avenue in northeast denver this morning before 7 a. M. He was shot. Investigators did not give a there were several evidence markers spread out in the area this morning. The Sheriffs Department doesnt believe the public is in any danger. Renewed interest ahead of the 20th anniversary of 6year old Jonbenet Ramseys death has Boulder Police offering little insight into the unsolved case that still remains in open investigation. The police chief issued a video statement about the case today, offered some stats. He says investigators have now collected 1,500 pieces of evidence including the analysis traveled to 18 states, interviewed about 1,000 people and have received, reviewed or investigated more than 20,000 tips, letters or emails. He says an arrest and successful prosecution still remains the departments goal. We continue to work closely with the boulder district attorneys office, consult with expert and call upon local and National Resources as needed. We have not and will not give up. Justice for jonbenet. Jonbenet was reported missing from her home december 26th, 1996. Her body was later found in the basement of her familys home. A 22yearold man faces felony charges in three counties accused of coercing teenage girls to send him pornographic pictures. Police say Zachary Meyers told the girls hed been on social media he would kill himself if they didnt sext with then convinced them to meet him in person. This case serves as a warning to parents. Reporter the Court Records about Zachary Meyers sexcapades with underage girls could make any parent squirm. Police say the 22yearold targeted girls as young as 13 through various social media and messaging services, established relationships that led him to asking for nude photos and sending his own. Those who refused police say he actual picture of a shotgun in his mouth. Police in evans, lakewood and denver interviewed three victims who said meyers eventually met up with them and sexually assaulted them. Parents, its very important for them to monitor what their children are doing. What apps are they downloading . Reporter were not pointing fingers at the victims or their parents. Were using the story to ask the sheriff how to be safe if you ask any kid, how many of you have somebody following you dont know . Many of them have people following them they dont even know. We talked about how silly that would be in person. Reporter martin said parents should surprise check their kids devices regularly, take them away at night and know what they download, but as cliche as it sounds, get back to basics and talk with each other. You need more face to face time. Thats how youll be able to perceive, manage and use your devices. Reporter police say meyers preyed on his victims vulnerabilities and there could be more silent or embarrassed or worried they wont be believed. Anastasiya bolton, 9news. Meyers is in the Jefferson County jail. He declined our request for an interview. He has three court dates this month in denver, jefferson and weld counties. We do have advice about talking to kids about the dangers of social media in this story on 9news. Com. Trapped mosquitoes in florida tested positive for zika providing the first conclusive proof insects in this country are carrying the virus. What else was destroyed when a spacex rocket exploded during welcome back. The Florida Department of agriculture and Consumer Services detected the zika virus in mosquito collected in miami beach this. Provides the first conclusive proof insects here are carrying it. 47 cases of nontravel related zika have been reported in florida. Out of nearly 2,500 mosquito samples collected, three tested positive. The Texas National guard this week used one of its helicopters to transport that had mechanical problems and forced to land in a field near wallaceville in texas. The guard deployed a chinook to pick up an apache and ferry it back to base. It required a lot of skill as the chinook pilot had to gently lift and deliver its cargo. No soldiers aboard the apache were not hurt. Dont see that side every day. You really dont. It was gloomy this morning, but it kind of brightened up during the course of it was pretty nice i thought. A little bit of rain, i dont think anybody can complain over a long weekend. No. Actually the best chance of rain and storms will come tomorrow ahead of the holiday weekend, warmer and drier conditions expected both saturday, sunday and monday. It was warmer and drier today. Southeast wind brought in the low cloud cover and fog around the area, but right now its absolutely beautiful. Were partly sunny, breezy, comfortable conditions up and down the front range. Thunderstorms hover in the foothills and on i70 but very little moisture activity rolls east off the front range foothills. Were monitoring a couple thunderstorms up around the Steamboat Springs area where temperatures topped out today in the low 80s, but look at the numbers this afternoon, 86 degrees at dia, finally close to the average for this time of year. The warmest temperatures out across the western slope today, 90 in grand change, starting to see color now on some of those highways. It may be time to start thinking about that fall foliage outing. In the month of september now, 78 a typical high, 48 an average low. There are your records. Of note is really the change in the monsoon weather pattern to a warmer drier pattern initially and cooler crisper conditions later in the month and our seasons first snowfall expected during the month of september. Feels like summer now, though, southeast, but humidity values much lower. Beautiful in the backyard outside the studios, temperatures here in the mid 80s downtown. Not a lot of activity on the radar for the front range and eastern plains. Were seeing a lot of the heavier thunderstorm activity on i70 and up over the elevated terrain. As the storms try to cross i 25, theyre falling apart. Were getting the wind, lightning but not a lot of rain, hail or much activity on the far eastern plains, on our water vapor loop you can really tell where much of the activity is. A weak front from billings to salt lake city. A tropical plume of moisture from our south is being pushed eastward, but the big story is category 1 hurricane hermine making lan fall in the gulf. Its interesting how this front is sliding south and may actually interact with hermine. That will be a player for those into sunday and monday. For us tropical moisture south of us returns in full force to the area tomorrow. The front to the north of us stays there, so we have a relatively nicely warm day, but a better chance of showers and thunderstorms in colorado friday afternoon. The greatest chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight is across the gulf and the tornado threat will increase outside of jacksonville. Category 1 hermine now with wind to 75 Miles Per Hour will carolinas saturday and then push northward around boston and philadelphia. Beach communities and holiday activities in the northeast, a lot of people traveling there, that tropical system will be impactful. Notice the warming trend, 86 in denver tomorrow, 104 in folks. Theres a cool pool of air in the northwest and one in the northeast. Right now in the heartland really calm, quiet weather this is where we sit right now, green where the heaviest showers and storms are tonight. Steering wind aloft are pretty week. Storms that develop slow moving came of producing heavy rain, this upper thunder and lightning, but the Severe Weather threat is pretty low. Low of clouds and foggy think will be an issue again especially for those headed up to sterling tomorrow afternoon. More widespread thunderstorm activity, but notice this time tomorrow night pueblo out to limon and burlington some heavy thunderstorms expected. After a stormy afternoon and evening friday the pattern shifts in time for the weekend. Mid40s tonight in the high country, 60s out west, mid50s in denver and 60s on the far south eastern plains. Temperatures tomorrow how about vail, nice day of travel initially, but those hiking and biking need to watch out for lightning early in the day up over the elevated terrain and then between 2 00 and 6 00 for lower elevations. Thats when we see our best chance for thunderstorms here. The biggest threat will be heavy rain more so than lightning and Severe Weather threat for lower elevations because that southwest flow, those steering winds aloft are moving those storms so slowly. Tonight the severe we with the cloud cover i think theres a good chance of rain in area like grand lake and nederland and that will bring temperatures down a bit. Tonight in the city we have some areas of fog off to the east, partly cloudy skies expected, our low 58. Tomorrow well get some early sunshine, mid70s by noon, but afternoon storms keep temperatures in the mid80s. Moving you through the extended period, we look for warming and weekend, low of 90s sunday, dry monday for the holiday, slightly cooler but still dry tuesday and really for the first full week of the new month the weather pattern really looks terrific. So those of you that have plans to venture out to taste of colorado or just enjoy your Labor Day Holiday camping or outdoors, good, we do not have snow in the forecast, but if youre suffering like me sneezing and coughing, its the weeds. That is your allergy or pollen index. If you go outdoors this weekend, make sure you take the weather is always changing. Right now its calm and i would yet, but thunderstorms can . Amazing sleep stays with you all day and all night. Dont miss the biggest sale of the year. Right now save 50 on the labor Day Limited Edition bed, plus 36month financing. Hurry ends monday the new month is getting off to a quiet start on wall street, stocks ended mixed. The dow edged up 18 point, s p fell a fraction and the nasdaq from colorados sports leader heres drew soicher. Hi, everybody. The broncos will finish off their exhibition schedule with the paxy bowl tonight. He will make his first nasal start and is expected to play the entire game against the winless arizona cardinals. Nobody knows how long it will take for lynch to earn an opportunity in the regular season. Im taking it however they give it to me. So theyre giving me all the information. Im taking it absorbing it day in, day out doing the bess i can. You know, the fact that i get all these reps in this game possibly i think is a big help for me and can only benefit me. . [ music ] . Paxy bowl is on 20, pregame show at 6 30 and were live. Glendale, arizona. Hey, guys. Reporter i dont know if you can see on the field behind us there are 26 broncos. These guys are out there working out. Those are the guys we wont see tonight except perhaps one more sanchez just in case paxton goes down. This game is obviously big for a lot of those guys on the bubble. Could be it big for mark sanchez as well . Reporter mark sanchez is a tough position to put a veteran like that into a preseason the only way he makes the 53 man roster. That would be if something unfortunate would happen with paxton lynch, they have to use mark sanchez. Maybe thats how mark sanchez stays on this team. Otherwise if lynch comes out of this clean, plays pretty well, i think the broncos in the next day or two will probably move on from mark sanchez and i think theyll go with only two quarterbacks. Reporter okay. So sanchez cant control what happens to him, his future, but gary kubiak made it clear there are five or six spots up for grabs now. Reporter yeah. I think dillon day, the backup center has a chance to sneak in there because James Ferentz is still recovering from knee surgery and henry melton, a veteran. At running back we about kapri bibbs and juwan and remember the 53 man roster on saturday and then the waiver guys are able. John elway might pick one or two there. Reporter things on saturday not set, but it gives us a good indication of what things might be like. Rockies have the night off, begin a series with the diamondbacks tomorrow. Getting a heard and sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers when andrew toll belted a grand slam off ottavino. Rockies lose the night cap 10 8. Tonights bobblehead birthday boy is former broncos star running back Clinton Portis who is 35 years old tonight. I have tried and tried to get those grass stains off his pants, cannot do it. Breaking news tonight, a lifethreatening hurricane about to make landfall in florida. Several states of emergency and concern stretching all the way into the northeast. Spacex explosion disaster caught on camera. A rocket blows up on the launchpad, destroying a major plan by facebook. What went wrong . Backlash. Big fallout for donald trump from key supporters who say they were betrayed as trump calls for a major immigration crackdown. Stopping pain without painkillers. Some alternatives that patients are trying. Whats working and whats not. And parents nightmare. A big mixup in the air. Two small children sent to the wrong