Tropical storm Igor turns into Hurricane Igor

By Peter Stone

Hurricane Igor is now a Category Four storm headed to Bermuda, and it may become a Category Five. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Every year, hurricanes move throughout the Caribbean and the Atlantic, threatening island nations and wreaking havoc on the mainland. So far, the 2010 hurricane season has been thankfully mild. However, more storm systems have gathered enough force in the past few weeks to become legitimate threats. Currently, tropical storm Igor has become large and volatile enough to be reclassified as Hurricane Igor. The hurricane is currently in the Atlantic, far from any significant areas, but is heading in the direction of Bermuda. Hurricane Igor is not projected to hit the United States at present.

Hurricane Igor growing

Igor began as tropical storm Igor, and by Saturday, Sept. 11, had become large enough to warrant hurricane status. It was initially classified a Category Two storm, but quickly became a Category Four, according to CNN. It is still a Category Four storm in the middle of the Atlantic. Thus far, it has not hit land anywhere and is over 800 miles away from the Leeward Islands, though it is heading in the direction of Bermuda. Another tropical storm system is in the Caribbean, Tropical Storm Julia. Julia was briefly classified a Category One hurricane, but dropped off right away.

Keep an eye out

According to the Los Angeles Times, Hurricane Igor is not aimed directly at any particular landmass. It is moving towards Bermuda, but it isn’t known if the Hurricane Igor path will result in landfall there. There is a relative chance that Igor will intensify into a Category Five hurricane. So far, no major advisories or warnings have been issued concerning the storm, but that may change soon. Hurricane Earl briefly approached the East coast of the U.S. and Canada, but headed back out to sea.

2010 hurricane season is not over

Hurricane seasons typically last from June until November. This year has not been the worst, though storms have battered some areas. Hurricane Alex hit the coast of Mexico, and several islands have experienced severe flooding because of previous hurricanes. There have thankfully been few fatalities, and most were drownings due to rip currents caused by hurricanes.

Sources

CNN
Los Angeles Times