Karl to stir dangerous surf along eastern US coast while eyeing Bermuda
By Brian Thompson for AccuWeather.com
As Karl strengthens late this week, it will threaten Bermuda and lead to increased surf at U.S. East Coast beaches.
Karl weakened to a depression on Wednesday morning after moving through a hostile environment.
The storm will emerge into a more favorable environment, which will likely allow for strengthening into Friday.
Heavy rain and strong winds may impact Bermuda late in the week
While it is now less likely that Karl will impact Bermuda as a Category 2 of 3 hurricane, the storm could be close to hurricane strength as it approaches Friday into Saturday.
Karl will make a turn toward the north and then the northeast as it nears Bermuda. How quickly it makes this turn will determine how much of an impact that it has on the island.
"If Karl re-curves northeast quickly, it will pass south and southeast of Bermuda and cause minimal impacts," AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said.
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If the storm makes a more gradual turn, it could take a track close enough to the island to bring strong winds and heavy rain, according to Kottlowski.
Residents and tourists should plan for potentially dangerous conditions.
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Even if the storm passes far enough to the south and east to keep the rain and wind away, high surf and dangerous rip currents will be a concern into the weekend.
High surf and powerful rip currents expected at U.S. East Coast beaches
Despite remaining many hundreds of miles offshore, Karl will still impact the East Coast with high surf and dangerous rip currents.
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The main threat for rip currents will be from late this week and into this weekend, when Karl is closest to the U.S.
People at the Atlantic beaches late this week and into Saturday should exercise caution when getting into the water.
If caught in a rip current, the best thing to do is to swim parallel to the shore.
As Karl races away to the northeast by late in the weekend, waves should subside on Sunday.
