Hurricane Kirk strengthens into a Category 3 storm in the Atlantic

MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Kirk strengthened into a Category 3 storm in the Atlantic on Wednesday and is expected to quickly become a major hurricane, forecasters said.

There were no coast guards or warnings and the storm system was not yet considered a threat to the country.

Kirk reached Category 3 status on Wednesday, the Miami-based US National Hurricane Center said. The storm moved about 1,150 miles (1,855 kilometers) east-northeast of the Lesser Antilles with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour (195 km/h).

It was moving northwest at a speed of 12 mph. A gradual turn to the north-northwest and then north was expected this week.

Waves caused by the storm could affect parts of the Leeward Islands and Bermuda through the weekend, likely leading to “life-threatening” surf and rip current conditions, the center said.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Leslie formed late Wednesday in the eastern Atlantic and could become a hurricane by the weekend, forecasters said.

There were no coast guards or warnings and the storm system was not yet considered a threat to the country.

The storm was located 490 miles (790 kilometers) southwest of the southernmost tip of the Cabo Verde Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h), the hurricane center said.

The storms formed just as many People in the southeastern United States While rescuers searched for missing people, there was still a lack of running water, cell phone connection and electricity Hurricane Helene hit last week and left a trail of death and catastrophic damage.