Hurricane Igor, which has been the most powerful storm in the Atlantic to date in 2010, remains a very significant threat for the island of Bermuda while the East Coast of the United States will still feel indirect effects of this storm in the form of large swells that will produce waves between at least 6 to 10 feet along with rip currents this weekend into early next week. Effects are already being felt along the Jersey Shore, which had two foot swells reported yesterday. Although it is approximately 1,000 miles from the U.S. coastline, it is still going to have an impact along beaches that have already been hard hit by nor’easters this past winter, and hurricanes Danielle and Earl more recently.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the resort island of Bermuda in the Western Atlantic, which may have a direct hit from the storm. Even if it doesn’t, the massive circulation, which has grown to a diameter of approximately 580 miles wide, will have some form of a direct impact on the tiny island in its path. Currently, Igor is located some 690 miles to the South-Southeast of Bermuda. The system has maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour, and gusts in excess of 150 miles per hour. Minimum central pressure, which had been down to 925 millibars, or 27.32 inches of Hg (Merucry), has gone up to 945 millibars or 27.91 inches of Hg (Mercury). Hurricane force winds extend some 105 miles from the eye while tropical storm force winds extend 290 miles. The eye itself is 32 nautical miles wide.
The latest forecast discussion from the NHC indicates that the overall cloud pattern hasn’t changed much with Igor. In addition, there is still a chance that Igor could re-intensify over the next few days. The storm, which is moving to the Northwest at 9 miles per hour, is presently moving over warm waters and there are light winds aloft. So, in the least, Igor should remain a major hurricane for the next 48 hours. After that, southwesterly shear as well as cooler sea surface temperatures will cause it to gradually weaken after that. It should at or near Bermuda as a Category Two Hurricane within 72 hours. The last time a major hurricane affected Bermuda was when Hurricane Fabian impacted the island in September 2003.
Another thing to watch for is when it absorbs the smaller and weaker circulation of Julia over the next five days. It should be interesting to see if the combination of these two storms will energize Igor as it becomes extratropical.