Bermuda entirely in Hurricane Paulette's eye as storm lashes island

Paulette is one of four current named tropical systems in the Atlantic basin

The entire island of Bermuda was directly in the eye of Hurricane Paulette on Monday morning as the storm threatens to bring another round of damaging winds and torrential rains as it begins to move away.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said was Paulette was located right over Bermuda around 6 a.m. before the storm began to slowly move away.

"Hurricane conditions and torrential rains associated with the southern eyewall continue over Bermuda," the NHC said," the NHC said.

HURRICANE PAULETTE TO HIT BERMUDA ON SUNDAY EVENING, FORECASTERS SAY

According to the NHC, the eyewall of Paulette will continue to pass over Bermuda during the next couple of hours.

Satellite imagery showed the island completely in the middle of the eye of the storm early Monday morning, surrounded on all sides by swirling clouds.

The island of Bermuda can be seen directly in the eye of Hurricane Paulette on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. (NOAA/GOES-East)

Those on the island described being in the eye as having "light winds," with "the tree frogs singing" as the surf continued to roar.

Andrew Moore wrote on Twitter that he could even see "a few stars and planets" after clouds cleared out.

Paulette is currently a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph, with higher gusts, moving north-northeast at 13 mph.

"Additional strengthening through Tuesday night is likely as Paulette accelerates northeastward to east-northeastward.," the NHC said. "Gradual weakening is forecast to begin on Wednesday."

As the storm moves away from Bermuda, hurricane conditions will return to the island from the south and southeast as the southern eyewall passes over.

Up to 6 inches of rain is possible on the island, with hurricane conditions subsiding by mid-morning as tropical storm conditions persist into the early afternoon.

As the storm pulled away, some on the island described conditions as "still raging."

HURRICANE SEASON PEAK: HERE'S WHY SEPT. 10 IS DAY MOST LIKELY TO HAVE A TROPICAL STORM

Paulette may be over Bermuda, but the storm is generating rough seas that will impact the entire east coast of the United States. Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are possible on Monday.

In addition to Paulette, Sally is gathering strength as it takes aim at the U.S. Gulf Coast as a hurricane.

Once a tropical storm, Rene will dissipate on Monday. with no threat to land.

Tropical activity in the Atlantic basin on Sept. 14, 2020.

Tropical Depression 20 strengthened into Tropical Storm Teddy on Monday morning, and was expected to become a "powerful" hurricane later in the week, forecasters said. That storm is forecast to stay in the Central Atlantic with no risk to the U.S. in the next five days.

Yet another disturbance off the coast of Africa, Tropical Depression 21, formed Monday in the eastern portion of the Atlantic Ocean before strengthening to Tropical Storm Vicky.

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Historically, September produces the most Atlantic Ocean basin tropical activity. The current name storms have broken records for how early they formed for their respective letter, continuing a trend during the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.

Hurricane season's busiest month is September, with activity peaking on Sept. 10. (Fox News)

NOAA forecasters are now calling for up to 25 named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher; of those, seven to 10 could become hurricanes. Among those hurricanes, three to six will be major, classified as Category 3, 4 and 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher.

Where tropical storms typically develop during the month of September. (Fox News)

That's far above an average year. Based on 1981-to-2010 data, that is 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

So far this year, there have been 19 named storms, including six hurricanes and of those, one major hurricane.

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The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 and includes the names Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.

The names for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. (Fox News)

There is only one more name left for this season: Wilfred. After that, we will move to the Greek alphabet for only the second time in history.

Fox News' Adam Klotz and Brandon Noriega contributed to this report.

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