MIAMI, FLORIDA: After battering the Dominican Republic, Franklin, a tropical storm in the Atlantic Ocean, strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on Saturday, August 26.
The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center predicted that Franklin could rev up to a Category 3 hurricane by Monday when it will traverse the warm waters between the US and Bermuda.
Fox Weather reported that the hurricane will not make landfall in the US but the Southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts could experience big swells and hazards through the Labor Day weekend.
Where is Hurricane Franklin now?
Hurricane Franklin is reportedly located about 600 miles south of Bermuda and moving north-northwest at 8 mph. It is packing maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph).
Franklin, one of eight named storms so far this year, is now the second hurricane of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season after Don, according to WESH.
The storm is expected to continue strengthening and might reach Category 4 hurricane status with winds of more than 130 mph.
By Saturday, the US Air Force and NOAA Hurricane Hunters had found maximum sustained winds of 85 mph with higher gusts.
Through Tuesday, the storm is anticipated to stay northwesterly before being picked up by an intense trough and moved to the northeast.
Where is Hurricane Franklin headed?
Franklin is not expected to make landfall in the US but swells generated by the hurricane could begin affecting Bermuda by Sunday night.
"This is not going to be a landfall for us," said FOX Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin.
Adding, "We have a series of troughs coming off the East Coast and that’s going to be our protector. You don’t have to worry about this making landfall on the East Coast, but we could see some rough surf conditions."
Dangerous rip currents are also anticipated along the East Coast throughout the week. The Atlantic coast of Canada could also see an impact from the storm.
Merwin noted that the waves off North Carolina could reach between nine and twelve feet high by Wednesday morning. “Thankfully, the strongest waves and the biggest waves are going to be out of here by the time we get to Labor Day weekend,” she stated.
“But if we have this pass too close, and we have some beach erosion ahead of the Labor Day weekend holiday, we could see some minor implications there,” she continued.
The weather disturbance, which is being monitored by the National Hurricane Center, was forecast to gradually develop as it moves into the northwestern Caribbean this weekend.
