Additional Coverage:
Hurricane Humberto Strengthens, Poses Threat to U.S. East Coast and Bermuda
Hurricane Humberto gained strength on Monday, prompting warnings for the U.S. East Coast and placing Bermuda under a Tropical Storm Watch, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
As of its 11 a.m. AST update, Humberto boasted maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. The powerful storm was located approximately 340 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, tracking northwest at 13 mph.
Forecasters indicate that hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the storm’s center, with tropical-storm-force winds reaching out as far as 185 miles. While Humberto is projected to pass west and then north of Bermuda on Tuesday and Wednesday, residents there could begin to experience tropical-storm-force winds as early as late Tuesday.
The NHC anticipates fluctuations in Humberto’s intensity over the next day before a gradual weakening trend begins. Despite this, it is expected to remain a “dangerous major hurricane” for the coming days.
Beyond its immediate path, Humberto is generating significant swells that will impact portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda throughout much of this week. These conditions are likely to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents.
Dangerous surf conditions were also expected to begin affecting a large portion of the U.S. East Coast starting Monday.
Humberto marks the eighth named storm of the Atlantic season and became the third hurricane on Friday morning. Its presence in the Atlantic is joined by Tropical Storm Imelda, which formed on Sunday.