MIAMI, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Hurricane Gustav was expected to be an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm near the U.S. Gulf Coast before coming ashore somewhere near New Orleans, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Saturday.

"We're projecting 125 knots as it approaches the northern Gulf Coast," hurricane center meteorologist Todd Kimberlain said.

Winds of 125 knots, or 143 mph, would make Gustav a dangerously powerful Category 4 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity. (Reporting by Michael Christie; Editing by Bill Trott)

AlertNet news is provided by