Hurricane Franklin remained a powerful Category 3 storm as it moved toward Bermuda early Wednesday. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Aug. 29 (UPI) — Hurricane Franklin is expected hit Bermuda with tropical storm conditions Wednesday morning, according to forecasters who said the storm has already begun to generate life-threatening surf and rip currents along the east coast of the United States.
In its 2 a.m. EDT Wednesday update, the National Hurricane Center said the Category 3 storm, the first major hurricane of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, was located about 230 miles west of Bermuda, and had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph.
Franklin was moving northeast at 12 mph.
A tropical storm warning, meaning tropical storm conditions are expected, was in effect for Bermuda.
“Franklin is moving toward the northeast near 12 mph, and this motion with a faster forward speed is expected through today,” the forecasters said. “On the forecast track, the center of Franklin is expected to pass to the northwest of Bermuda later today.”
As Franklin was heading toward Bermuda on Wednesday, Hurricane Idalia was aiming for Florida where it is forecast to hit Wednesday as a major hurricane.
