MIAMI, United States (CMC) — Hurricane Imelda, which has been rapidly moving away from Bermuda, is anticipated to transition into an extratropical storm later on Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami. As of Thursday, the storm was located approximately 170 miles east-northeast of Bermuda, with maximum sustained winds reaching 85 miles per hour (mph). It is currently advancing east-northeast at a speed of nearly 30 mph. The Meteorological Service of Bermuda has downgraded the hurricane warning to a tropical storm warning, indicating that tropical storm conditions are expected to persist for the next few hours. Bermudian authorities have confirmed that the most severe phase of Hurricane Imelda has passed, though hurricane-force winds and gusts remain prevalent. Residents are urged to remain indoors until the Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO) issues an all-clear. The NHC forecasts that Hurricane Imelda will continue its northeastward trajectory on Friday and Saturday, with its core moving further away from Bermuda in the coming hours. The storm is expected to weaken gradually over the next several days as it transitions into an extratropical low. Swells generated by Imelda are currently impacting the Bahamas, Bermuda, and much of the United States’ east coast. The NHC has also warned that these swells will extend toward the Greater Antilles and northern Leeward Islands by Friday, continuing through the weekend, potentially creating life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.