- Hurricane Franklin is strenghtening in the Bermuda Triangle and is expected to become a major hurricane Monday.
- It will remain well off the East Coast in the week ahead.
- But it will generate swells that will produce high surf and rip currents along the East Coast.
- Franklin could also track close to Bermuda.
Hurricane Franklin will continue to strengthen southwest of Bermuda and is forecast to become a major hurricane Monday. It will remain well off the U.S. East Coast, but it’s expected to generate life-threatening high surf and rip currents early this week.
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The latest on Franklin: It is located in the Bermuda Triangle well north of Puerto Rico and is strengthening. It is forecast to become a major hurricane as it tracks north-northwestward and then turns toward the northeast.
Franklin became the second hurricane of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season Saturday morning. That’s right on the average date of the season’s second hurricane, according to data from the National Hurricane Center.
Bermuda threat ahead? Franklin moved erratically Friday, but has begun its march northward. After moving slow for a time, faster jet stream winds should curl and accelerate Franklin northeast, keeping the hurricane away from the U.S. East Coast.
But depending on how sharp that right-hand turn is, it could bring Franklin close to Bermuda, possibly as at least a Category 2 hurricane, Tuesday night or Wednesday.
For now, high surf is likely in Bermuda, but a closer track could bring stronger winds, heavy rain and some coastal flooding to parts of the archipelago.
Interests in Bermuda should monitor closely for changes to this forecast and have their preparedness plans ready, in case this closer track trend continues.
(MORE: Interactive Storm Tracker)
Franklin is expected to generate high surf along the U.S. East Coast: While Franklin will steer well away from the U.S., it will send some high surf to the East Coast beginning late Sunday through early this week, especially from North Carolina to New England. That could create dangerous beach conditions, including rip currents, in some areas.
Details on the magnitude and timing of this threat are still a bit uncertain, so check back for updates and be aware of this possible danger if you are taking a late-summer trip to the beach next week.
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Chris Dolce has been a senior meteorologist with weather.com for over 10 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
