On September 7, convection developed over and to the west of the center for the first time in its duration. However, Florence failed to strengthen any further with a wind field more than 1035 miles (1670 km) in diameter. This made it diffficult to forecast the storm, since it tracked through an area of 84° F (29° C) water temperatures, light shear, and a large low-level cyclonic envelop with abundant convection. By early on September 8, the storm became a stretched out, shapeless cloud pattern not normal for a tropical cyclone. Later that day, as an anticyclone developed over Florence, the storm began to consolidate around a vorticity center on the western side of the large cyclonic envelope. It began to strengthen more steadily as the storm turned to the northwest. Early on September 10, an eye began developing inside a ring of round thick convection over the center, and shortly thereafter Florence reached hurricane status while located about 390 miles (630 km) south of Bermuda.