Hurricane Joaquin is bringing tropical storm force winds to Bermuda as the core of the hurricane moves northwest of that island.  Wind gusts to 64 m.p.h. have been reported in recent hours in Bermuda.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Joaquin was located at latitude 33.1°N and longitude 65.5°W which put it about 70 miles (110 km) northwest of Bermuda.  Joaquin was moving toward the north-northeast at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (140 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 961 mb.  A Hurricane Warning remains in effect for Bermuda.

Hurricane Joaquin is gradually moving over cooler water, but it is still over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is around 28°C.  It appears that a combination of drier air and vertical wind shear caused Joaquin to weaken on Sunday.  Thunderstorms are not rising as far up into the atmosphere and gaps have appeared in the eyewall.  Southwesterly winds in the upper levels are inhibiting upper level divergence in that portion of the hurricane and the pressure rose 17 mb on Sunday.  The wind shear could lessen for a time on Monday and the rate of weakening could slow.

Hurricane Joaquin is moving toward the north-northeast.  When it moves farther north, it will encounter the upper level westerlies in the middle latitudes.  Those westerly winds will carry Joaquin toward the east.  Joaquin could make a transition to a strong extratropical storm and affect western Europe in a few days.