Hurricane Earl passed southeast of Bermuda on Thursday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Earl was located at latitude 31.3°N and longitude 63.7°W which put it about 95 miles (150 km) southeast of Bermuda. Earl was moving toward the north-northeast at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 964 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for Bermuda.

Hurricane Earl was producing winds to nearly tropical storm force in Bermuda. The L.F. Wade International Airport reported a sustained wind speed of 36 m.p.h. (58 km/h) and a wind gust of 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The structure of Hurricane Earl was beginning to resemble a hurricane that was moving from the tropics into the middle latitudes. An eye with a diameter of 60 miles (95 km) was at the center of Earl’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a broken ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the large core of Hurricane Earl. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of Earl’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 185 miles (295 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Earl will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Earl will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. An upper level trough near the East Coast of the U.S. will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Earl’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear and the wind shear will inhibit intensification. The southwesterly winds could also enhance divergence to the northeast of Hurricane Earl. Earl could intensify on Friday if the effect of the enhanced divergence exceeds the effect of the vertical wind shear. The southwesterly winds are forecast to increase during the weekend when the upper level trough moves closer to Hurricane Earl. Stronger vertical wind shear will cause Earl to weaken and to make a transition to an extratropical cyclone.

The upper level trough near the East Coast of the U.S. will steer Hurricane Earl toward the northeast during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Earl will move away from Bermuda on Friday. The gusty winds and rain in Bermuda will diminish on Friday when Earl moves farther away.