While Hurricane Bill looked less organized early Friday, a tropical storm warning remains in effect for Bermuda.
Tropical storm conditions, including winds of at least 39 mph (63 kph), are expected on the island within 24 hours. A hurricane watch was also in effect, meaning hurricane conditions, including winds of at least 74 mph (119 kph), are possible within 36 hours. As of 5 a.m. ET Friday, Bill’s center was about 425 miles (680 kilometers) south of Bermuda, and about 865 miles (1,390 kilometers) southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the hurricane center said. The storm was moving northwest at near 17 mph (28 kph), and is expected to continue that motion overnight, with a gradual turn to the north-northwest on Friday followed by a turn toward the north on Saturday. “The core of the hurricane is expected to pass between Bermuda and the east coast of the United States on Saturday,” forecasters said. See Bill’s projected path ยป As of early Friday, Bill was still considered a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 120 mph (195 km), the National Weather Service said. Forecaster said the hurricane has become less organized, but fluctuations in intensity are likely over the next 12 to 24 hours.
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Hurricane Bill leads to tropical storm warning for Bermuda
Large swells generated by Bill were affecting the northern Leeward Islands on Thursday, along with Puerto Rico and the island of Hispaniola, shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The East Coast of the United States should start seeing large swells during the next few days, along with the Bahamas, Bermuda and the eastern coast of Canada, the hurricane center said. “These swells will cause extremely dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents.” Bill is forecast to diminish into a Category 1 hurricane by Sunday evening, when it could make landfall near Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, Canada.
