Hurricane Imelda's core moving away from Bermuda with conditions expected to improve

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The core of Hurricane Imelda was moving past Bermuda early Thursday and weather conditions were expected to improve around the British territory.

A hurricane warning remained in effect. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami previously warned Imelda could bring hurricane-force winds, damaging waves and flash flooding.

"Conditions on the island expected to improve during the next several hours," the center said in a 2 a.m. update.

The storm was about 80 miles (125 kilometers) east-northeast of Bermuda and moving east-northeast at 30 mph (48 kph). The maximum sustained winds fell to 90 mph (150 kph) as the storm weakened from Category 2 to Category 1 strength.

Imelda was expected to drop between 2 and 4 inches (5 and 10 centimeters) of rain and produce a dangerous storm surge that could cause coastal flooding. Hundreds of customers were without power ahead of the storm.

Bermuda, a wealthy overseas territory with strong structures that have withstood powerful storms in previous years, closed schools, offices and the airport Wednesday as it deployed 100 soldiers to secure infrastructure, clear roads and help at emergency shelters.

“This is a dangerous storm system that could bring destructive winds, heavy rainfall and significant coastal impacts,” said Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s national security minister.

Earlier in the week, Imelda battered the northern Caribbean. It unleashed widespread flooding in eastern Cuba, where two people died, and in Haiti where one person was missing and two others were injured.

Hurricane Humberto, which had been racing ahead of Imelda, dissipated Wednesday after passing west of Bermuda on Tuesday. Its remnants were named Storm Amy by U.K. forecasters, who warned it would affect much of Ireland and the U.K. starting Friday.

Both weather systems were generating dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents affecting beaches along the north Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda and much of the U.S. East Coast.

While the Atlantic hurricane season is winding down, forecasters urged people to remain alert.

“We expect atmospheric conditions that could support tropical storms and hurricanes well into late October and November this year,” said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather’s lead hurricane expert.

Imelda was the Atlantic season’s fourth hurricane this year.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal season with 13 to 18 named storms. Of those, five to nine were forecast to become hurricanes, including two to five major hurricanes, which pack winds of 111 mph (178 kph) or greater.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.