Hurricane Sam has developed into a “major” Category 3 storm with the possibility to grow stronger in the coming days, the National Hurricane Center said in a public advisory Saturday. The “small but dangerous” hurricane is one of the earliest 18th named storms to form, beaten only by last season, which was the most active hurricane season on record.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to approximately 120 miles per hour with even higher gusts. The storm’s winds extend outward up to 25 miles from its center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.
“Additional strengthening is expected over the next day or so, and Sam is forecast to become a category 4 hurricane by Sunday,” the National Hurricane Center said. “Some fluctuations in the hurricane’s intensity are possible early next week.”
As of Saturday, Sam is moving west-northwest at nearly 10 miles per hour in the Atlantic ocean. It is not yet clear if the storm will make landfall in the U.S.
Swells are expected to reach the Lesser Antilles group of islands in the Caribbean Sea by early next week, which could cause “life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.” The hurricane center urged those in the area to consult products from their local weather offices.
Sam strengthened into a Category 2 storm late Friday and is considered by the hurricane center to be a “small hurricane,” although it has already met the criteria for rapid intensification. It is the 16th storm to rapidly intensify over the past two seasons in the Atlantic.
Jeff Berardelli contributed reporting.
