Hurricane Bertha Weakens to Category 1

11 pm Update: Bertha is still Category 1, maximum winds of 80 mph. A gradual turn to the north is expected, but the forecast path has shifted slightly to the west.

Hurricane Bertha weakened further today and is now Category 1 with maximum winds of 85 mph. The storm is moving northwest at 12 mph, and a gradual turn to a more northerly direction is expected. As the storm weakens further, it should be a tropical storm as it moves southeast of Bermuda.

Hurricane Bertha Weakens; Still Category 2

Hurricane Bertha maintained Category 3 strength overnight, but weakened this morning to Category 2. At 11 am, maximum winds were 105 mph. More weakening is expected in the next 24 hours. The storm's track is now more toward the northwest, and the forecast has shifted the path further to the east of Bermuda.

Bodacious Bertha Category 3

Update (11 pm):Hurricane Bertha has increased to maximum winds of 120 mph as of the latest advisory. It continues to move toward the west northwest at 12 mph, but a gradual turn toward the northwest and north is still expected.

Correction (8:40 pm): The statistics on early season major hurricanes from the National Hurricane Center shown below apparently included only the Saffir-Simpson scale at landfall, so there were other occurrences, as well (for example, Emily became Category 3 on July 15, 2005). A more correct description of the list below would be: "All storms originating before August 1 which made landfall as Category 3 or higher since 1851." Clearly, that does not apply, at least yet, to the current case.

As of 5 pm, Hurricane Bertha is now classified as a major hurricane, Category 3, with winds up to 115 mph. It is continuing toward the west northwest at a decreased speed of 12 mph. A gradual turn toward a more northerly track is expected. Some fluctuation in intensity is likely in the next couple of days.

Except for Dennis in 2005, this is the first July Category 3 storm since Allen in 1980 and Celia in 1970, but these storms each formed originally on July 31. The previous earliest Category 3 or higher was Audrey in 1957.

All storms originating before August 1 reaching Category 3 since 1851 (from National Hurricane Center):
Date ---- NAME ---------- Saffir-Simpson scale
6 04 1934 NOT NAMED . . . SSS=3
6 25 1957 AUDREY . . . . .SSS=4
6 29 1916 NOT NAMED . . . SSS=3
7 04 2005 DENNIS . . . . .SSS=3
7 13 1909 NOT NAMED . . . SSS=3
7 27 1936 NOT NAMED . . . SSS=3
7 31 1970 CELIA . . . . . SSS=3
7 31 1980 ALLEN . . . . . SSS=3

"NBC Storms Weather Channel"

As widely reported in the press this morning, NBC Universal is acquiring The Weather Channel in a joint venture with two private equity firms:

• NYTi: Weather Channel Is Sold to NBC and Equity Firms
  
• Business Week: NBC Universal Clinches Deal to Buy Weather Channel
  
• WSJ: NBC-Led Group Will Buy The Weather Channel
  
• Variety: NBC storms Weather Channel
  
• Hollywood Reporter: Weather deal brightens NBC forecast
  
• Bloomberg: NBC Universal, Bain, Blackstone Buy Weather Channel
  
• Forbes: Weather Channel Under NBCU's Umbrella
  
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: NBC buying Weather Channel
  
• TheStreet.com: NBC Universal to Buy Weather Channel
  
• BBC: NBC agrees Weather Channel deal
  
• WaPo: Weather Channel Sold to NBCU

The reported price of $3.5 billion is considerably less than originally suggested. Jeff Zucker, president of NBC Universal, appeared in a 15-minute segment of CNBC's Squawk Box this morning to discuss the deal. CNBC's Media Money honey comments on the deal in her blog, with video: NBC And Why It's Paying $3.5 Billion For The Weather Channel.

For the snarky view, see Gawker, including a link to Chris Farley as El Niño:

Bertha Burgeoning: First Hurricane of 2008

At 5 am this morning, Tropical Storm Bertha became the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2008 season. It continues to exceed strength expectations with maximum winds increasing to 90 mph as of 11 am. It could reach Category 2 today or tonight. The track remains west northwest, but the forward speed has lowered to 15 mph.

Hurricane Bertha track from IBISEYE and Google Maps

Bertha Boogying Briskly; Some Strengthening Seen

Tropical Storm Bertha has strengthened today, with maximum winds now 60 mph. It continues to move west northwestward at a brisk pace, about 20 mph. The track should turn more northerly in the next couple of days, but there is still some disagreement among the models on the pace of that turn. Threats to land are still too early to determine, but the most likely target at this point, if any, would be Bermuda.

Bertha Gradually Strengthens

Tropical Storm Bertha is moving more westward than originally forecast and gradually strengthening. Maximum sustained winds are now 50 mph, and little change in strength is expected today, but it is forecast to become a minimal hurricane as it moves north of the Lesser Antilles in a few days.

Tropical Storm Bertha track from IBISEYE.