Bermuda Issues Hurricane Watch as Bertha Hits Island

HAMILTON, Bermuda – The National Hurricane Center said a hurricane watch had been issued for Bermuda on Monday.

Bertha raked Bermuda with high winds on Monday while kicking up choppy surf and dangerous rip currents along the East Coast of the United States.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm was 37 miles east-northeast of the Atlantic island Monday afternoon with sustained winds near 65 mph and higher gusts.

Dangerous rip currents were occurring from the Carolinas through southern New England, according to the Hurricane Center, and officials said that may have contributed to at least one drowning Saturday along a New Jersey beach.

The passing cyclone caused scattered power outages were reported across Bermuda, but authorities said there were no immediate reports of injuries in the storm-hardened British enclave.

Bertha was moving north at near 7 mph. It was expected to bring 3-5 inches of rain to Bermuda. A turn to the northeast was expected Tuesday.

Over the weekend on the island, most tourists avoided the storm-whipped surf and rip currents along the tiny island's southern coast and authorities began posting signs announcing beach closures. Residents taped up windows and secured boats.

JetBlue canceled Monday flights from Bermuda to Boston and New York, while American Airlines passengers scheduled to travel to Miami and New York were flown out on Sunday.

Bertha became the Atlantic season's first hurricane on July 7.

Meanwhile, Elida became the second hurricane of the Eastern Pacific region's season, scattering rains across Mexico's central coast.

But the storm, with winds of 80 mph was headed away from land. Elida was centered about 485 miles south of the tip of the Baja California peninsula and it was moving west at near 14 mph.

Click here for maps, forecasts and satellite images at the National Hurricane Center.

Click here to track the storm.