Bertha Becomes Hurricane

[tekisui]

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Bertha became the first hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season early Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
A satellite picture from 5:45 a.m. ET Monday shows Hurricane Bertha over the Atlantic.


A satellite picture from 5:45 a.m. ET Monday shows Hurricane Bertha over the Atlantic.



As of 5 a.m. ET, Bertha was 845 miles (1365 km) east of the northern Leeward Islands and was moving toward the west-northwest near 17 mph. It was packing winds of 75 mph -- the minimum for hurricane status.

Additional strengthening is expected during the next couple of days, according to forecasters.

The hurricane center said it is still too early to determine whether Bertha will eventually affect any land areas. The five-day forecast map shows Bertha passing near Bermuda, but hurricanes are unpredictable and their routes often change during a forecast period.

The storm formed Thursday in the far eastern Atlantic, off the coast of Africa, near the southern Cape Verde Islands.

link: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/07/07/hurricane.bertha/?iref=mpstoryview

[Eurobabe]

1. Heard this morning that it is going to curve

up towards Bermuda and miss the islands. TG!! Don't want Bertha ruining my long awaited vacay on Turks & Caicos. :hi:

[old mark]

2. Too soon to predict the curve,

might still miss the coast, might impact in Carolinas, or any path in between.

Welcome to summer.

mark