Hurricane Kirk has intensified into a major hurricane in the central Atlantic, with maximum sustained winds reaching 130 mph, classifying it as a Category 4 storm. The National Hurricane Center advises that further strengthening is likely.
Although Hurricane Kirk is expected to remain over the open Atlantic waters, its effects could start being felt on the U.S. East Coast by Sunday.
In addition to Kirk, Tropical Storm Leslie is located west of Africa and is anticipated to become a hurricane. Another system approaching the Gulf of Mexico could bring heavy rain and flooding to Florida, even if it doesn’t develop into a tropical storm or hurricane.
As for the current status of Hurricane Kirk, it is located approximately 1,085 miles east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands and 1,655 miles southwest of the Azores. It is moving northwest at a speed of 12 mph. This motion is projected to continue into early Friday, followed by a turn towards the north and north-northeast over the weekend.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to 130 mph, with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend up to 35 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds can be felt up to 185 miles away.
The National Hurricane Center indicates that Kirk is likely to grow in size, sending out ocean swells across the central and western Atlantic. These swells may increase the risk of dangerous surf and rip currents along the Leeward Islands by Friday, Bermuda and the Greater Antilles by Saturday, and the U.S. East Coast and the Bahamas by Sunday.
Additionally, Kirk poses a significant threat to shipping, with potential impacts expected for the UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Western Europe by the middle of next week.
Tropical Storm Leslie is situated about 580 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and moving westward at 6 mph. It is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane within the next 48 hours and is expected to take a path farther west than Kirk, likely avoiding Caribbean Islands.
No land impacts from Leslie are currently anticipated, but like Kirk, it presents a significant concern for trans-Atlantic shipping.
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