HURRICANE NOEL UPDATE 5AM

AT 5AM...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE NOEL WAS LOCATED ABOUT 675 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF BERMUDA AND ABOUT 470 MILES SOUTH OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA. NOEL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 18 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARDSPEED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 80 MPH WITH HIGHERGUSTS. NOEL IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24HOURS....BUT NOEL IS EXPECTED TO LOSE TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND BECOME A POWERFUL EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.