Tropical Storm Nears Bermuda, Azores
Pastor Dale Morgan
Tropical Storm Nears Bermuda, Azores*
The Associated Press
Monday, September 18, 2006; 5:26 PM
MIAMI -- Hurricane Helene continued to gain strength as a Category 3
storm Monday, potentially threatening Bermuda at the end of the week,
while a tropical storm watch was issued in the Azores as Hurricane
Gordon churned in the Atlantic.
It was too soon to tell whether Helene would hit Bermuda, but the storm
with top sustained winds of 125 mph was expected to be near the island
Friday, said Chris Landsea, a meteorologist with the National Hurricane
Center in Miami.
Helene strengthened late Sunday into the second major hurricane of the
Atlantic season with 115 mph winds and intensified even more early
Monday. Major hurricanes are those Category 3 and higher.
At 5 p.m. EDT, it was centered about 870 miles east-northeast of the
northern Leeward Islands and about 1,015 miles east-southeast of
Bermuda. It was moving northwest at 9 mph and was expected to continue
on the same path into Tuesday, forecasters said. No significant change
in strength was expected in the next day.
Meanwhile, Gordon was in the open Atlantic, centered about 960 miles
west of Terceira in the Azores and moving northeast near 22 mph. Gordon
had top sustained winds near 90 mph.
Gordon was expected to weaken, but forecasters have said watches or
warnings could be issued as a precaution. Even if it did become an
extratropical storm that gets energy from colliding weather fronts, it
could still have tropical storm force winds.
The watch means tropical storm conditions are possible in the Azores in
the next 36 hours.
The National Hurricane Center's latest forecast for the Atlantic season
expects between seven and nine hurricanes, a slight reduction from
earlier predictions.
Scientists have said that weak El Nino conditions had inhibited
hurricane development by bringing higher ocean temperatures that
increase crosswinds over the Caribbean. The winds can rip storms apart
or stop them from forming.
But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has warned that
the El Nino effect on hurricanes has been small so far. And the season,
which lasts until Nov. 30, is still at its traditional peak.
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On the Net:
National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov