Bertha Builds Into 1st Atlantic Hurricane

Storm Whirling West-Northwest Toward Caribbean Islands; Could Reach Category 2 Strength

(CBS/AP)  Hurricane Bertha continues to strengthen as it moves over the central Atlantic Ocean.

As of 11 a.m. EDT Monday, the Atlantic season's first hurricane was centered about 775 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. National Hurricane Center forecasters say Bertha is expected to turn in the general direction of Bermuda.

It's still to early to tell whether Bertha will hit the island, but forecasters urged residents to monitor the storm's progress.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to speeds of 90 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is expected during the next 24 hours, and forecasters say Bertha could become a Category 2 hurricane later Monday.

Bertha is headed west-northwest at about 15 mph and is expected to slow down in the next couple of days.

[jimfinster]

ubrew12:

The upper atmosphere temp has remained fairly constant for many years, while the lower atmosphere has been steadily increasing. This alone rules out increased solar activity as the cause of surface warming.

As you note, CO2 has increased dramatically, and is a known greenhouse gas. The cause of warming is obvious to all but those locked into a political / ideological position.

Hurricane strength and frequency may or may not be linked to warming. I think the jury is still out on that one....

[ubrew12]

homespunlady said: "Whether that''s from "greenhouse gas" or "increasing SOLAR RADIATION" DOESN''T matter anymore"

Well, there''s no need for a cap-n-trade system if its not CO2. There''s NO evidence that the solar constant has been increasing over the last 100 years, but the evidence that a major greenhouse gas, CO2, has been increasing over the same time period (by 50%), is incontrovertable.

The solar constant is REALLY easy to measure and there are literally thousands of measurements made every day around the world and in space: no conclusive evidence its gone up or down.

[sistatee-2009]

It''s heading for the Kennedy compound! Grab the jar with Teddy''s brain in it and run!

[donevis-2009]

Why in the world do you people have to point fingers and lay blame. Its a STORM. It has no political affiliation and couldn''t give a rats butt about all that stuff. It''s amazing how name calling comes into play when one side can''t think of an intelligent comment to make on a piece in the news.
George Bush doesn''t have the foggyist about "Global Warming". Here lately Scientist have concluded that for the past 5 years we''re actually having a cooling trend Don''t let that out because it ruins the passing of a new "Carbon Tax". The government needs to make some more money from the working class. Next thing you know will have to have released gas meters on our behinds and charge us for the amount we pass monthly. Eat veggies.. "God Speed USA"

[homespunlady]

Being there''s nothing I can do about the storm maybe playing a guessing game as to strength and where it''ll go would be in order.

My guess- Category 3 - hitting the Upper East coast for a change.

[homespunlady]

There''s a debate as to whether Global Warming is man-made or an increase in SOLAR radiation or BOTH (which I suspect) but EVEN GEORGE BUSH has now acknowledged that the GLOBAL temperature overall IS RISING and GLOBAL WEATHER is getting MORE ERRATIC!

Whether that''s from "greenhouse gas" or "increasing SOLAR RADIATION" DOESN''T matter anymore than arguing "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin".

PRACTICALITY DEMANDS PREPARATION for SUCH THINGS and WE ARE NOT PREPARED!

Yeah, FEMA has "camps" supposedly "out there" BUT the SECRECY surrounding SUCH "PREPARATIONS" has led probably millions to DISTRUST WHY and infer the WORST motivations behind them.

Check out all the "conspiracy theories" out there - more and more of our DUMBED DOWN society are beginning to pay attention to them and BELIEVE the WORST.

Information on Websites like Infowars.com and movies like "terrorstorm" are frightening in their implications and are not being plausibly answered - if at all.

- and they too suggest "global warming" is a ruse to control people. Are people like Demslie2U and Minnick8 "conspiracy nuts"?

A little more ABIDING BY THE "SUNSHINE LAWS" and HONESTY to the people about EXACTLY what the HEII is going on would SURE HELP before WE ALL assume the worst.

[thgdriver]

The Dimwitocrats have controlled congress and have done nothing. I can''t wait till they have the white house.

Who the hell are they going to blame the economy, war, housing mess, joblessness, ETC. on then? If you dimwits put one in the white house, I give him 4 years and out!

[ici2i]

Hurrican Bertha is actually CIA code for GW Bubba. They''re actually talking about Bubba turning south east and heading for Iran with sustained gusts of incomprehensive babble nearing 100 mph, death to innocents in the millions and the beginning of WWIII.

[ici2i]

"global warming" can be a mis-leading term. While average earth temps are increasing, many who don''t like the science and prefer to look only at isolated events to fill their empty minds, use them as examples to embolden their disbelief fueled by the GOP. Weather extremes is what we are experiencing with everything from droughts to higher than average snow and rainfall events. If you know anything about numbers, look at the measures and costs associated with damage repairs; roads, drainage systems, flood control, fire storms. But NO, that''s not the kind of information a disbeliver wants to know about. Development patterns along our coast line is killing our natural defenses and when the hurricanes hit, the rest of us have to pay for it. I think your insurance cost should more than double again for living in places people don''t belong. Hope you enjoy the extremes you nay sayers!!

[gardenurse]

Ok, Minnick8, soooooooo, Bill Clinton should have declared war on Iraq who didn''t have anything to do with 9/11. That means we could have had even more innocent people including thousands of our young men killed by now. Sounds like logic to me.

[minnick8-2009]

It is OUTRAGEOUS that a (former) politician who does nothing except run around spouting off his mouth about "man-made climate change" should receive this (formerly) prestigious award.

Posted by anon00

Well, it was prestigious until they gave it to Al Gore.

[minnick8-2009]

Well, at least I feel comforted that after 8 wonderful years in power, the good, Christian, upstanding Republicans finally cannot blame the Democratic party for anything!

Posted by gardenurse

Too bad, you are wrong. The emboldenment of the terrorists to attack America on 9/11 was the result of inaction by Bill Clinton after a number of attacks against America in locations around the world.

The current mire we are in as regarding oil and the cost of gasoline are the result of a number of things, including record profits by the oil companies. However, do not discount the effects of thirty years of inaction regarding the development our own resources which has been forwarded by environmentalists and left-wing Democrats, and has gone unchecked by Republicans. That would make it 30 years of bepartisan responsibility.

[minnick8-2009]

NOAA knows nothing compared to the Elitist Expertise of Al Gore.

Posted by demslie2u

Yes, and Al Gore invented the Internet. I will believe and consider everything Al Gore has to say on saving the environment when his lifestyle matches mine.

[displeased]

Is living next to the water all that great? Is it worth going through multiple evacuations?
Posted by Keithle1

Living next to the water is great. For me, going through a hurricane hasn''t been a big deal. Sometimes exciting. The problem is, at least with some people I know in Florida, is the sky rocketing price of insurance. After Florida got hit with those 4 named storms a few years ago, they now pay $20K a year between insurance and taxes. They have been trying to get out but can''t sell. Living in so called paradise is nice but it will cost you.

[keithle1]

I always wonder why the people who live in these hurricane-prone areas aren''t sick & tired of going through the "hurricane drill" every year. Is living next to the water all that great? Is it worth going through multiple evacuations?

[nssherlock1]

Oh NO! It''s ''Global Blowing''! Oh wait, that''s a good thing!

[acolton1]

Bertha Builds Into 1st Atlantic Hurricane. On NPR radio this morning they said that Bertha is going to slow down in the next few days and gain strength. Its going to become Big Bertha. It''s July 7th and there are 23 more letters in the Alaphabet to go.

Get ready is a strong Cat 3 or 4 hits the Gulf of Mexico Gas prices are going to JUMP in Price.

The N.E according to the Weather Channel is Over Due for a Strong Hurricane to smash Boston, New York, Atlantic City area. I hope the USA gets off easy this year and we dodge the bullet.

[gardenurse]

Well, at least I feel comforted that after 8 wonderful years in power, the good, Christian, upstanding Republicans finally cannot blame the Democratic party for anything! The war, enviornmental changes, taxes, gas and heating prices, contaminated food. I could go on and on, but you get my drift.

[displeased]

The first Hurricane of the "Hurricane" season and Democrats are screaming the end of the world and its all Bush''''s Fault. Yeah, that will get more votes.
Posted by demslie2u

The only one screaming is you.

[irliberal]

We are all gonna Die!!

Posted by demslie2u at 07:49 AM

Cry more please? I suggest that you clutch your gun and/or crucifix a little more. I hear that helps.