Hurricane Joaquin hammers Bahamas, steers away from East Coast

Sky News Weather Producer Joanna Robinson said Bermuda was its next target – though it would be “a weaker hurricane” by the time it hit.

Michael Alan, of Wellington, was less anxious, until he heard Joaquin was became a Category 3 storm overnight. This mornings run made 4 passes through the eye and allowed for another upper level run around both Joaquin and the area known as invest 90L, an area of organized showers and thunderstorms associated with the remnants of Ida Southeast of Bermuda.

Joaquin is the third hurricane of the 2015 Atlantic season, which began in June and ends in November. A bigger US concern is potentially historic flooding this weekend that’s forecast in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic from a weather system not directly related to Joaquin. But they caution any deviation in Joaquin’s path could bring the core of the hurricane and stronger winds closer to the island.

Hurricane Joaquin has been upgraded to a Category 2 storm, clocking 105-mph winds as it approached the Bahamas Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday.

The Cuban government issued a tropical storm warning for the provinces of Camaguey, Los Tunas, Holguin, and Guantanamo.

The U.S. Coast Guard has located a life ring from a cargo ship that lost power and communications during Hurricane Joaquin and is now the subject of an intense search in the southeastern Bahamas. The storm was upgraded from Tropical Depression 11 on Monday.

It is expected to continue on its slow path today, hovering over parts of the central and northwestern Bahamas.

The waves in the area now 20 to 30 feet tall, and the ship, without power, is now at the mercy of the waters, Fedor said, who added they were doing everything they could to find El Faro. It has since weakened to a Category 3.

“Joaquin will begin to move away from the Bahamas tonight and Saturday”, NHC said.

There had been no reports of fatalities or injuries so far, said Capt. Stephen Russell, the director of the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency.

However, its last recorded position was just off the coast of the island of Great Abaco in the Bahamas, nearly 900 miles from San Juan.

The hurricane has been battering islands including San Salvador, Cat Island and Rum Cay and unleashed severe flooding on others, including Acklins, where a few of the roughly 565 residents were trapped in their homes.

It has maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour (205 kph), and is moving northeast at 10 miles per hour (17 kph).