Hurricane Franklin cranks past Bermuda as a Category 2 storm

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The outer bands of Hurricane Franklin lashed Bermuda on Wednesday as the Category 2 storm charged past the island located in the north Atlantic Ocean.

Franklin had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (168 kph) and was located some 145 miles (235 kilometers) north-northwest of Bermuda late Wednesday afternoon. It was moving northeast at 13 mph (20 kph) and was expected to keep spinning through open waters.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for Bermuda, with forecasters warning of life-threatening surf and rip currents for the island and the U.S. East Coast. Several flights to Bermuda were cancelled on Wednesday.

Officials in Bermuda warned that Hurricane Idalia, which was crossing Florida on Wednesday, was forecast to possibly hit the island early next week as a tropical storm.

—-

Follow AP’s climate coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment