Hurricane Fiona is now a Category 4 storm. Where is it going? What the forecast shows
Cat 4 Fiona is continuing its trek toward Bermuda, which on Wednesday was put under a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning.
The hurricane, which battered Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos, is expected to cause dangerous surf and rip currents along the United States’ east coast during the next few days.
Where is Fiona now and where is it going?
Here’s what to know:
Where is Hurricane Fiona now?
Hurricane Fiona is about 550 miles southwest of Bermuda and 1,315 miles south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, according to the National Hurricane Center’s advisory at 11 p.m. Wednesday.
The storm is moving north near 10 mph with maximum sustained winds near 130 mph with higher gusts. It’s expected to pick up speed once it turns to the north-northeast or northeast through Friday.
Fiona is a large system, with hurricane-force winds extending 70 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extending 205 miles.
READ MORE: Do you want to help the people affected by Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico? Here’s how
Where is Fiona going?
The forecast shows Fiona approaching Bermuda late Thursday as a Cat 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, this is the minimum sustained wind speed needed to be considered a Category 4.
Once it moves away from Bermuda, Fiona is expected to interact with “a progressive deep-layer trough” Thursday night or Friday that will propel Fiona toward the Atlantic Canada at more than double its current pace, speeding up to about 29 to 35 mph. Fiona could weaken to an extratropical cyclone by Sunday but still produce hurricane-force winds.
“Fiona is expected to affect portions of Atlantic Canada as a powerful hurricane-force cyclone late Friday and Saturday, and significant impacts from high winds, storm surge, and heavy rainfall are becoming increasingly likely,” the hurricane center said. “Interests in these areas should closely monitor the progress of Fiona and updates to the forecast.”
READ MORE: No serious casualties or injuries by Hurricane Fiona reported in Turks and Caicos
Fiona hazards
Bermuda is expected to feel tropical storm conditions, and possibly hurricane conditions, by Thursday evening and Friday morning, according to the hurricane center.
Bermuda could see two to four inches of rain, while Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and western Newfoundland are looking at a possible three to six inches, with some areas possibly seeing up to 10 inches. This rainfall could cause significant flooding.
Eastern Quebec could see two to five inches and New Brunswick one to three.
“A storm surge will cause elevated water levels along the coast of Bermuda in areas of onshore winds beginning Thursday night,” the hurricane center said. “Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.”
Fiona’s swells are also continuing to affect the northern coast of Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos, and the Bahamas.
“These swells will continue to spread westward across the southwestern Atlantic toward the east coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada during the next day or two. Swells from Fiona are expected to reach Bermuda early Thursday,” the hurricane center said. “The swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”
Fiona warning/watches
▪ Hurricane watch and tropical storm warning is in effect for Bermuda.
Miami Herald Staff Writer Omar Rodríguez Ortiz contributed to this report.
This story was originally published September 21, 2022 at 6:54 AM.
