NHC: Tropical Storm Humberto Becomes Hurricane

By Staff, Agencies

Tropical Storm Humberto has become a hurricane according to a US National Hurricane Centre [NHC] advisory issued on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, the NHC warned that Humberto – although far from land – could cause large swells over the next few days, as well as dangerous surf conditions in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

The Bahamas reportedly felt the impact of Humberto, with small airports temporarily shuttered, and some locals briefly seeking shelter.

Humberto, formed over the Atlantic Ocean, currently has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph [112 km/h] and is moving northeast at about 3 mph [5 km/h], the NHC said. The storm is well away from the coastal regions of the US and poses no threat of landfall.

The tropical islands are still recovering from the aftermath of powerful Category 5 Hurricane Dorian that devastated local infrastructure, bringing havoc to a tropical paradise. According to official estimates, Dorian killed dozens and left some 70,000 homeless.