Bermuda under Bertha storm watch

MIAMI, July 11 (UPI) -- The Bermuda Weather Service posted a tropical storm watch Friday as Hurricane Bertha spun 300 miles south-southeast of the island.

The outer fringes of the storm were expected to reach Bermuda on Saturday. Heavy swells were already pounding the beaches Friday and were expected to continue through the weekend, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

An Air Force Hurricane Hunter plane flew over the center of the storm Friday afternoon, determining that winds might be stronger than previously thought.

At 2 p.m., Bertha was packing sustained winds of 85 mph with gusts up to 105, forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

The tropical storm watch means tropical storm conditions are possible within 36 hours.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles, while tropical storm force winds less than 74 mph extended outward up to 140 miles, the report said.

Bertha was moving toward the northwest at 6 mph, which U.S. forecasters said was likely to continue. However, a turn to the north was expected which would bring the fringes of the storm to Bermuda, the report said.