Hurricane Cristobal Little Threat to Florida, East Coast

The tropical disturbance that’s been wreaking havoc on the Bahamas has officially been upgraded to Hurricane Cristobal. Packing sustained winds of 75 mph as of Tuesday morning, the storm is blamed for at least five deaths in the Caribbean islands.

Currently on a northward track, the Category 1 storm is moving at 12 mph. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center anticipate Cristobal will continue on a northerly path through Wednesday when the storm is expected to take a northeastern turn, moving it away from the Eastern Seaboard and out to sea. On its current path, Cristobal poses no threat of direct impact on Florida or other eastern states.

Cristobal is the third named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

Forecasters at the national weather service are also keeping their eyes on a tropical wave currently located east of the Lesser Antilles. That storm, however, isn’t expected to develop over the next 48 hours.

To keep up with tropical weather, visit the National Hurricane Center online.

Photo Credit: National Hurricane Center graphic