MIAMI — Hurricane Earl is is forecast to turn into a major hurricane later Thursday, with tropical storm conditions expected to begin in Bermuda soon.
Swells caused by the Category 2 hurricane are also building near Bermuda and are expected to reach the U.S. east coast later Thursday. They are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions through the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters are also watching Danielle, which has weakened back into a tropical storm. Also on their radar: two disturbances in the eastern Atlantic, one of which has a high chance of turning into a tropical depression or storm, possibly later Thursday.
At the moment, none of the systems are a threat Florida.
Here’s the forecast breakdown:
Hurricane Earl to be major hurricane
The forecast shows Earl strengthening into a Category 3 hurricane by the time it passes to the southeast of Bermuda late Thursday. After it passes Bermuda, Earl is forecast to strengthen into a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph while it’s in the open water. This is the minimum wind speed needed to be classified as a Cat 4. Earl is then forecast to become a powerful post-tropical low on Saturday.
Bermuda is under a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning, with tropical storm conditions expected Thursday afternoon through Friday morning. Hurricane-force winds could be possible in Bermuda Thursday night if Earl’s track shifts farther west than is currently forecast, the hurricane center said.
As of the advisory at 8 a.m. Thursday, Earl was about 265 miles south of Bermuda, with maximum sustained winds near 105 mph with higher gusts.
Tropical Storm Danielle
Tropical Storm Danielle is still producing a large area of rough seas though its begun to lose its tropical characteristics, forecasters said.
The storm has maximum sustained winds near 70 mph with higher gusts, and was about 660 miles north-northwest of the Azores early Thursday. The storm is forecast to become a post-tropical system later Thursday, with more weakening expected through the weekend.
“A slow down and counterclockwise loop is expected to occur later today and Friday when the cyclone interacts with the trough that is expected to cut off. After that time, a faster motion to the southeast is forecast, which should take the extratropical cyclone toward western Europe by the end of the period,” the hurricane center said in its early morning advisory.
Two disturbances, one could be a depression or storm
A disturbance almost a thousand miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands could turn into a “short-lived tropical depression or storm later today” if it sees a small increase in organization as it moves quickly west to west-northwest over the central Atlantic, forecasters said Thursday.
“After that time, upper-level winds are forecast to become less conducive for development,” the hurricane center said.
The hurricane center is giving it a 70% chance of formation through the next two to five days. If the system were to turn into a tropical storm, it would be named Fiona.
The other disturbance forecasters are watching has emerged off the west coast of Africa Thursday morning and could see some gradual development as it moves west-northwest over the open water.
It has no chance of formation in the next 48 hours and a low 30% chance of formation through the next five days.
