Hurricane Franklin remained a powerful category 4 storm early Tuesday despite experiencing some weakening overnight. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Franklin, the first major hurricane of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, remained a very powerful category 4 storm early Tuesday, with forecasters warning that it was producing life-threatening surf and rip currents in Bermuda and along the southeast coast of the United States.
In its 5 a.m. EDT update, the National Hurricane Center said the storm was located 385 miles west-southwest of Bermuda. It had weakened slightly overnight, but remained a category 4 hurricane as it was carrying maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. Advertisement
Franklin was moving north-northeast at 9 mph.
A tropical storm watch was in effect for Bermuda, meaning tropical storm conditions are possible for the area within 48 hours. The center of Franklin is expected to pass well to the west of Bermuda on Wednesday.
Life-threatening surf and rip currents generated by the storm had already begun to impact the British island territory and the coast of southeast United States, the NHC said, while warning that the conditions were expected to spread northward along the U.S. east coast and Atlantic Canada over the next few days.
As Franklin was heading toward Bermuda on Tuesday, Tropical Storm Idalia was heading for Florida where it is forecast to hit Wednesday as a major hurricane. Advertisement
