MIAMI (AP) - The Latest on hurricanes and tropical storms in the Eastern Pacific and Atlantic (all times local):
8 p.m.
Hurricane Jerry is on a forecast track heading north of the Leeward Islands and expected to pass well north of Puerto Rico by Saturday.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Jerry’s eye was located at 8 p.m. EDT Thursday about 435 miles (700 kilometers) east of the northern Leeward Islands. The hurricane’s top sustained winds are being clocked at 90 mph (150 kph) and the storm is moving west-northwest at 17 mph (28 kph).
In the Pacific, Tropical Storm Lorena is moving away from the Islas Marias off Mexico. Lorena was centered Thursday afternoon about 185 miles (300 kilometers) east-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) and was moving to the northwest at 12 mph (19 kph). A hurricane warning is in effect for Mexico’s Baja California peninsula from La Paz to Santa Fe.
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6 p.m.
Hurricane Jerry is strengthening, with top sustained winds now reaching 90 mph (150 kph).
Forecasters say the storm is expected to pass just north of the Leeward Islands on Friday, go north of Puerto Rico on Saturday and be east-northeast of the southeastern Bahamas on Sunday.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm watch for the islands of Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Saba and St. Eustatius.
The hurricane center said Jerry is forecast to strengthen during the next day before some weakening begins this weekend. As of Thursday afternoon, it was centered about 395 miles (640 kilometers) east of the Leeward Islands, moving west-northwest at 17 mph (28 kph).
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12:30 p.m.
Bermuda’s National Security Minister Wayne Caines says government offices will open in the morning and power has been restored to most of the British Atlantic territory following an overnight blow from Hurricane Humberto.
Humberto had winds of about 120 mph (195 kph) at its nearest approach the Bermuda Wednesday night, and it blew off rooftops, toppled trees and blocked roads. But officials aren’t reporting any deaths from the Category 3 storm.
Caines said Thursday that, “The worst of it is behind us … We have made it through Hurricane Humberto.”
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Humberto still had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph) late Thursday morning, with tropical storm-force winds extending outward for 405 miles (650 kilometers). It was centered about 415 miles (665 kilometers) northeast of Bermuda and moving to the northeast at a brisk 24 mph (39 kph).
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11 a.m.
Tropical Storm Jerry is now a hurricane, closing in on the outermost Caribbean islands with top sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph).
Forecasters say Hurricane Jerry could pass just north of the Leeward Islands on Friday, then move between Puerto Rico and the Bahamas on Saturday and Sunday.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm watch for the islands of Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Saba and St. Eustatius.
The hurricane center said Jerry is forecast to strengthen during the next day before some weakening begins this weekend. As of Thursday morning, it was centered about 490 miles (785 kilometers) east of the Leeward Islands, moving west-northwest at 16 mph (26 kph).
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8:10 a.m.
Officials in Bermuda say Hurricane Humberto blew off rooftops, toppled trees and knocked out power as it blew past the British Atlantic island. But officials aren’t reporting any deaths from the Category 3 storm.
Premier David Burt said Thursday that “We’ve made it through and everyone is safe,” adding, “That’s what is most important.”
Security Minister Wayne Caines said schools and government offices will remain closed and he asked people to stay off roads while emergency crews clear them and remove power lines damaged by the hurricane, which had winds of about 120 mph (195 kph) at its nearest approach the Bermuda Wednesday night.
He said that 28,000 customers on the island of 70,000 people remained without power in the morning.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said maximum sustained winds were still at 125 mph (205 kph) early Thursday, with tropical storm-force winds extending outward for 405 miles (650 kilometers), covering a huge swath of ocean off New England and Nova Scotia. The storm was centered about 250 miles (400 kilometers) north-northeast of Bermuda and moving to the east-northeast at a brisk 22 mph (35 kph).
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6 a.m.
Hurricane Humberto has rushed past Bermuda, lashing the British Atlantic territory with powerful winds for hours before moving on. Meanwhile, Hurricane Lorena has been hugging Mexico’s southwestern Pacific coast, dropping torrential rain on an extremely arid area.
Humberto has been a fast-moving Category 3, bashing Bermuda with hurricane-strength winds Wednesday afternoon and passing to within about 75 miles (130 kilometers) of the island during the night.
Bermuda Gov. John Rankin had 120 soldiers of the Royal Bermuda Regiment on alert for possible recovery efforts, and officials had warned the 70,000 residents to stay sheltered until the winds subsided. Schools, clinics and government offices closed down as the storm approached.
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