Hurricane Nadine Path 2012: Nadine Has Officially Become the 8th Hurricane of the Season (MAPS)

Nadine, the major storm system that has been churning through the Atlantic over the past week has officially become the 8th hurricane of the 2012 season, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced.

As of 11:00pm AST, Nadine had been upgraded to hurricane status. Nadine is currently located approximately 725 miles east of Bermuda and 1,570 miles WSW of the Azores. The storm is moving toward the north-northeast at 14 miles per hour. By Saturday morning a turn toward the northeast as well as a slight decrease in forward speed is expected. As Saturday progresses and into Sunday, Nadine is projected to accelerate again in an easterly direction.

Forecasters say the storm is causing maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour with higher gusts occurring. Nadine is now a Category 1 hurricane and little change in strength is anticipated over the next day or two. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles per hour and tropical storm force winds are reaching as far as 230 miles away.

The storm that has been brewing in the Eastern Pacific over the past several days, Tropical Storm Kristy, continues to weaken at a slow pace, according to the NHC.

Kristy is currently located approximately 275 miles WSW of the southern tip of Baja California and is moving in a northwesterly direction at around 9 miles per hour. This general path is not expected to deviate over the next 24-48 hours.

Maximum sustained winds are lower than they have been at approximately 45 miles per hour, though higher gusts are being recorded. The NHC expects to see Kristy weaken slowly over the next 48 hours and become a remnant low by Sunday. Currently, however, tropical storm force winds are reaching outward up to 140 miles.

Although Kristy is slowing and weakening, the storm is causing ocean swells that will impact southwestern Mexico and southern Baja California for most of the weekend. These swells may result in life-threatening surf and rip currents, the NHC has warned.