The storm named Earl became the second hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic season Tuesday evening, forecast to brush by Bermuda later this week.
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Earl was 460 miles south of Bermuda, traveling north at 8 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm is forecast to pick up speed and become a major hurricane, meaning a Category 3 or higher, on Thursday. Category 3 hurricanes have sustained winds between 111 mph and 129 mph and can cause devastating damage.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Bermuda and Earl’s center is forecast to pass southeast of the island late Thursday.
Tropical-storm-force winds could spread across the island Thursday afternoon into Friday morning, the hurricane center said. The storm is also expected to dump 1 or 2 inches of rain across Bermuda through Friday.
Though Earl isn’t expected to threaten the United States, its swells are expected to reach Bermuda by Wednesday night and the U.S. East Coast shortly thereafter. These swells can cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions through the weekend, the hurricane center said.
Earl isn’t spinning alone in the Atlantic.
Hurricane Danielle is located about 625 miles northwest of the Azores and is expected to weaken later Wednesday, transitioning to a post-tropical cyclone Thursday, according to the hurricane center.
It’s the first time since September 2020 that the Atlantic Ocean has multiple hurricanes simultaneously. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
