Franklin, which struck the Dominican Republic this week as a tropical storm, is expected to strengthen further and could become a major hurricane, meteorologists said.
Tropical Storm Franklin strengthened to a hurricane on Saturday, becoming the second hurricane of the Atlantic season with the potential of gaining major storm status, the National Hurricane Center said.
As of 5 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, Franklin was about 280 miles northeast of Grand Turk Island of Turks and Caicos and was moving north-northwest at almost eight miles per hour, the center said.
Franklin’s maximum sustained winds increased to near 85 m.p.h. The center said that “further strengthening” was expected and that Franklin could become a major hurricane early next week.
A major hurricane has sustained winds of 111 m.p.h. or greater, corresponding to a Category 3, 4 or 5 hurricane.
The Hurricane Center said satellite and microwave imagery showed that Franklin had become better organized on Saturday.
“Early visible satellite images showed a ragged eye, which has become cloud filled in the last hour or two,” the center said. “Deep convection around Franklin has become more symmetric compared to recent days, likely due to a decrease in vertical wind shear.”
Though no watches or warnings were posted, the Hurricane Center said swells generated by Franklin could start affecting Bermuda by Sunday night.
“These swells are also likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions late this weekend into early next week along portions of the East Coast,” it said.
