Hurricane Earl Now Heading Towards Bermuda

Hurricane Earl is getting closer; that is why Bermuda is now under a hurricane watch.

On Wednesday night, Earl had continuous gusts of 100 mph, and according to AccuWeather analysts, those winds will only get stronger when it passes the Bermudan islands to the east.

(Photo : Photo by NASA via Getty Images)

Earl Going to Bermuda

As Earl intensified into a powerful Category 1 storm late Wednesday afternoon, Bermuda is currently under a hurricane watch, according to AccuWeather.

As it passes to the east of Bermuda this week, releaing some effects on the islands, and creatinh high seas and rip currents along the Eastern Seaboard, AccuWeather meteorologists predicted that Hurricane Earl will become the first significant hurricane in the Atlantic basin this year.

Following unprecedented calm, the Atlantic basin is heating up, and several potential tropical disturbances are being watched for development.

Intensifying Weather Event

The system intensified into a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday night after being designated Tropical Storm Earl on September 2.

By Wednesday night, Earl had reached a maximum sustained wind speed of 100 mph (155 km/h).

As a result, Earl became the Atlantic Ocean's first Category 2 storm of the 2022 hurricane season.

As predicted by AccuWeather meteorologists since last week, steering winds had moved Earl to the north.

Approximately 355 miles south of Bermuda, the storm was churning and moving 9 mph to the north, with 45 miles of hurricane-force winds extending from its core.

Even 150 miles from Earl's core, tropical storm-force winds were still present.

Also Read: US Coast Guard Faces Raging Waves While Attempting a Daring Rescue Amidst Hurricane Earl

Hurricane Trajectory

Although the system's center is expected to pass east of Bermuda Thursday night, it will still be felt.

According to the National Hurricane Center, a tropical storm warning was issued for Bermuda on Wednesday morning.

A hurricane watch was issued for Bermuda late in the afternoon.

Forecasters predicted that Earl will continue to strengthen and intensify into a major Category 3 hurricane in the second half of this week, with maximum sustained winds of 111 to 129 mph (179 to 208 km/h).

The power of Earl will be less affected by wind shear, according to AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno.

It will be in a region with less wind shear, but it will also be gliding rather than battling the winds.

The bottom and upper halves of the storm will consequently become more aligned.

Earl will not only start to get stronger by the middle of the week, but the system can get stronger quickly from Wednesday through Friday.

Possibly Reaching the US

Beyond Bermuda, Earl's effects may reach as far west as the East Coast of the US.

Thank goodness, Earl will pass more than 800 miles east of the North Carolina coast.

But hurricanes the size and power of Earl may produce surges that extend outward over a thousand miles, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Michael Doll.

Through the weekend, Doll said, "Swells from Earl, coupled with an onshore wind, are predicted to cause strong surf and dangerous rip currents."

The tropical systems in the Atlantic Basin may indirectly affect transportation as well.