NU Online News Service, Sept.16, 11:35 a.m. EDT

There have been only two hurricane seasons to show this much activity at this point in the season and both are considered to be the two most active hurricane seasons ever recorded.

Hurricane Karl intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane earlier today, according to modeler AIR Worldwide. Karl, which made landfall on Wednesday on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, is the eleventh named storm of the 2010 hurricane season. The only seasons to have more named storms at Sept. 16 were in 1995 and 2005, according to Risk Management Solutions (RMS).

Karl reportedly caused no significant property damage or casualties, and is now in the Bay of Campeche where it is expected to gain some strength before making landfall again in Mexico, possibly as a Category 2 hurricane, according to RMS, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and AIR.

The storm currently has maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph, making it a weak tropical storm, said the NHC.

Modelers predict Karl will make landfall again on the east coast of central Mexico, about 60 miles south of Tampico.

The storm is not predicted to make landfall in Texas, RMS said.

Modelers are also tracking hurricanes Igor and Julia, with Igor posing the biggest threat to property. The storm is forecast to reach Bermuda within the next 96 hours as a Category 2 or 3 hurricane. Whether it makes a direct hit to the island, RMS said Igor's large wind path will affect Bermuda.

The path Igor takes after it reaches Bermuda is unclear. Sea swells of 9-13 feet from Igor are expected in the U.S. on Sept. 17, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.

Hurricane Julia looks to pose no threat to land as it has weakened from a Category 4 to a Category 2 hurricane. Julia's path is east of Igor and should weaken to a tropical storm within the next four days, NHC said.

This season has seen four Category 4 hurricanes-Danielle, Earl, Igor and Julia-since Aug. 27, AIR said.

Special Reports /

Hurricane Igor Heads to Bermuda; Storm Karl to Revisit Mexico

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