Published 07 September 2018
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Florence Now a Storm With Hurricane Potential; Another Storm Could Form Later Today
FLORIDA, United States, Friday September 7, 2018 – Hours after being upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane, Florence was back down to tropical storm status, but forecasters say it will likely get stronger over the weekend as it gets closer to Bermuda.
Florence intensified yesterday evening, but by 11 a.m. today, it was a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds down to 65 miles per hour.
The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami said Florence’s weakening appeared to have stopped for the moment, but restrengthening is forecast over the weekend.
“Florence could become a hurricane again by Saturday night or Sunday,” it said.
Swells generated by Florence will begin to affect Bermuda later today.
The Bermuda Weather Service said the closest point of approach to the island within three days is forecast to be 434 miles to the southeast around noon on Monday. However, it said, Florence may move closer to Bermuda after that time, depending upon its track.
At 11 a.m., Tropical Storm Florence was about 935 miles east south-east of Bermuda and 865 miles northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands, moving towards the west at eight miles per hour.
Meanwhile, a potential tropical storm is brewing.
The NHC said Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight is becoming better organized and is expected to become a tropical depression or tropical storm later today.
It is carrying maximum sustained winds near 35 miles per hour, and at 2 p.m., it was located about 440 miles of southernmost Cabo Verde Islands.
Additionally, there is another system in the Atlantic. The NHC said the circulation of a low pressure system located about 700 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands is well defined, but the associated shower and thunderstorm activity has not been sufficiently organized to designate the system as a tropical depression.
“Only a slight increase in organization would lead to the initiation of advisories on this system, possibly as early as later today or tonight. This low is expected to move slowly westward across the tropical Atlantic Ocean during the next several days,” the NHC said.
