Hurricane Humberto intensified to Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale south of Bermuda on Saturday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Hurricane Humberto was located at latitude 22.9°N and longitude 61.1°W which put the center about 685 miles (1105 km) south-southeast of Bermuda. Humberto was moving toward the west-northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 160 m.p.h. (260 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 190 m.p.h. (305 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 925 mb.
Hurricane Humberto intensified to Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Saturday afternoon. A circular eye with a diameter of 12 miles (19 km) was at the center of Humberto’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Hurricane Humberto. Storms near the center of Humberto generated strong upper level divergence that pumped large quantities of mass away from the hurricane. The removal of large quantities of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease rapidly.
The circulation around Hurricane Humberto was very symmetrical. Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of Humberto’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 125 miles (200 km) from the center of Hurricane Humberto.
The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Humberto is 35.0. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 10.7 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 45.7. Hurricane Humberto is similar in intensity to Hurricane Michael when Michael hit Northwest Florida in 2018. Humberto is slightly smaller than Michael was.
Hurricane Humberto will move through an environment favorable for an intense hurricane during the next 24 hours. Humberto will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and the will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Humberto could intensify during the next 24 hours. However, the inner end of a rainband is likely to wrap around the existing eye and eyewall. The formation of concentric eyewalls would start an eyewall replacement cycle. An eyewall replacement cycle would cause Humberto to weaken, at least temporarily.
Hurricane Humberto will move around the western part of a high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Humberto toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Humberto will pass far to the south of Bermuda on Sunday.
Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Depression Nine formed north of eastern Cuba. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Depression Nine was located at latitude 22.2°N and longitude 76.5°W which put the center about 215 miles (345 km) south-southeast of Nassau,, Bahamas. The tropical depression was moving toward the northwest at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.
Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the Central Bahamas including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador.
Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the Northwestern Bahamas including Eleuthera, New Providence, the Abacos, the Berry Islands, Andros Island, and Grand Bahama Island.
A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from the Palm Beach/Martin County Line to the Flagler/Volusia County Line, Florida.
