Franklin strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane on Monday

Article first published: Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, 5 a.m. ET

On Monday at 5 am, the National Hurricane Center issued an advisory stating that Franklin has become a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph after intensifying from a Category 2 hurricane.

Category 3 Hurricane Franklin is 395 miles north of Grand Turk Island and 505 miles southwest of Bermuda, with maximum sustained wind of 115 mph. It’s moving 8 mph to the north-northwest.

"A gradual turn toward the north and north-northeast with a slightly faster forward speed is expected during the next couple of days." forecasters explained. "Some additional strengthening is forecast today, but gradual weakening is expected to begin by Tuesday afternoon."

YESTERDAY (Sunday):

Yesterday, Franklin reached new heights of intensity and was upgraded from a Category 1 hurricane into a Category 2 hurricane, with winds blowing at 100 miles per hour.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND:

SURF: Swells generated by Franklin are beginning to affect Bermuda. These swells are expected to spread toward the east coast of the United States during the next couple of days, likely resulting in life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Source: National Hurricane Center

This story was originally published August 27, 2023 at 11:01 AM.