Hurricane Kirk is expected to strengthen into a Category 3 storm in the Atlantic Ocean Wednesday and rapidly grow into a major hurricane, forecasters said.
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, and the storm system was not yet considered a threat to land.
Kirk reached Category 3 status on Wednesday, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. The storm formed approximately 1,150 miles (1,855 km) east-northeast of the Lesser Antilles, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph).
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It was moving northwest at 12 mph (19 kph). It is expected to gradually turn north-northwest and then north this week.
The center said swells generated by the storm could affect parts of the Leeward Islands and Bermuda by the end of the week, causing “life-threatening” surf and rip current conditions.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Leslie formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean late Wednesday and could strengthen into a hurricane by the end of the week, forecasters said.
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, and the storm system was not yet considered a threat to land.
The storm was located 490 miles (790 kilometers) southwest of the southernmost tip of the Cape Verde Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (65 kilometers per hour), the hurricane center said.
Many people in the southeastern U.S. remain without running water, cellphones or electricity as rescuers search for missing people after Hurricane Helen struck last week, leaving behind deaths and devastation. , this storm occurred.
