Humberto strengthens to hurricane but is no threat to land

Humberto was upgraded to a hurricane Sunday night as it continues to strengthen and head farther into the Atlantic Ocean. Forecasters don’t expect it to be a threat to the U.S.

Humberto is moving toward the northeast and is expected to continue on that track through Monday morning, followed by a turn toward the east-northeast with a gradual increase in forward speed over the next three days, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 11 p.m. advisory. Late Sunday night Humberto was about 785 miles west of Bermuda.

Hurricane Humberto has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, up from 60 mph late Saturday night. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles, federal forecasters say.

The Bahamian government discontinued tropical storm warnings Saturday after it moved past the island chain. Hurricane Humberto’s center had stalled just east of Great Abaco Island for a few hours that morning.

Forecasters say that Hurricane Humberto will turn away from the Florida Coast on Monday.

Although the hurricane will not be making landfall for the U.S. and Bahamas, they will still feel its effects.

Parts of the Florida and Georgia coasts are expected to see up to an inch of rain, along with swells that will also effect South Carolina. Swells can lead to deadly surf and rip-current conditions.

Great Abaco Island and Grand Bahama Island, which were devastated by Hurricane Dorian earlier this month, have already experienced heavy gusts. The storm may bring a maximum of 6 inches of rainfall to the northwestern Bahamas, but it is not expected to bring significant storm surge, forecasters said.

Dorian killed 50 people on the Bahamas, and the list of missing persons stands at 1,300 people.

The formation of Humberto near the islands has temporarily stalled relief efforts and threatens to make life more difficult for survivors.

Humberto is the eighth named storm of the 2019 season and third hurricane.

Miami Herald Real Time Reporter Devoun Cetoute covers breaking news, Florida theme parks and general assignment. He attends the University of Florida and grew up in Miami. Theme parks are on his mind in and out of the office.

Martin Vassolo is a general assignment reporter on the Miami Herald’s metro desk. He was a member of the Herald’s reporting team covering the 2018 midterm elections and Florida’s recount. Previously, he worked as a political reporting intern with the Herald and as editor-in-chief of the University of Florida’s student newspaper, The Independent Florida Alligator.