Bertha has strengthened into the first official hurricane of the 2008 season as it continues its journey across the central Atlantic Ocean.
As of 11 a.m. EDT, Bertha was centered about 775 miles (1,250 kilometers) east of the northern Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Sea. (See a map of the area.)
National Hurricane Center forecasters say Bertha is expected to turn in the general direction of Bermuda.
It's still to early to tell whether Bertha will hit the island, but forecasters urged residents to monitor the storm's progress.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to speeds of 90 miles (144 kilometers) an hour, with gusts reaching even higher. Some strengthening is expected during the next 24 hours, and forecasters say Bertha could become a Category 2 hurricane later Monday.
Bertha is headed west-northwest at about 15 miles (24 kilometers) an hour and is expected to slow down in the next couple of days.
Experts at Colorado State University have predicted that this year will have a busy storm season, with the latest forecast predicting eight hurricanes—four of them with winds exceeding 110 miles (177 kilometers) an hour—will form before the season ends November 30.
According to long-term data, six hurricanes form each year on average, two of which are considered "intense."
