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Florence weakens, Gordon strengthens

Hurricane Florence sped toward its demise off Canada’s maritime provinces Tuesday, while Tropical Storm Gordon strengthened over the open Atlantic.
BERMUDA HURRICANE FLORENCE
High waves hit a house in Devonshire Bay, Bermuda, as Hurricane Florence passes near the British island chain on Monday. David Skinner / AP
/ Source: The Associated Press

Hurricane Florence sped toward its demise in the cooler waters off Canada’s maritime provinces Tuesday, while Tropical Storm Gordon strengthened over the open Atlantic.

A new tropical depression also formed off the coast of Africa, forecasters said.

Florence, the season’s second hurricane, blew out windows, peeled off roofs and knocked out power to thousands in Bermuda on Monday as it sideswiped the British island chain before heading out over the Atlantic.

At 5 p.m. ET, Florence had top sustained wind of 75 mph, 1 mph over the minimum for a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was expected to pass just southeast of Newfoundland in the next day or so, the hurricane center said in its final advisory about Florence.

Gordon, which grew to named storm status Monday, had top sustained winds near 65 mph and could strengthen into a hurricane Tuesday or Wednesday, the hurricane center said.

Seventh named storm of the season
The seventh named storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season was centered about 505 miles north-northeast of the Leeward Islands and was moving north near 7 mph, forecasters said. It was expected to remain over open water away from Bermuda, forecasters said.

The eighth tropical depression of the Atlantic season developed Tuesday off the coast of west Africa. It had top sustained winds at 35 mph and was building to tropical storm strength, forecasters said.

The depression was centered 195 miles south of the southernmost Cape Verde islands and moving west near 15 mph, according to the hurricane center.

The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. The National Hurricane Center’s latest forecast for the season predicts between seven and nine hurricanes.