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Hurricane Sam: Latest on the Category 4 Storm Moving With 145 MPH Winds

Hurricane Sam is currently raging in the Atlantic as a category 4 Storm with 145 MPH winds. Here’s the latest on the powerful storm:

On Friday, Sam became this year’s 7th Hurricane and 18th named storm. Thankfully, it’s not endangering much land right now. But it’s important to keep an eye on it as it continues to head northwest over the open Atlantic.

Accuweather forecasters claim that “confidence is growing” that the system will miss the United States. This means the US won’t likely take a direct hit. Those near the storm, however, can expect to see some intense tides. As of this evening (Sunday, September 26th), the system was located 880 miles to the east-southeast of the Leeward Islands.

Accuweather also reports the system was heading northwest at 7mph. From the eye, hurricane-force winds extend up to 30 miles outward and tropical-storm-force winds extend about 90 miles.

Sam has remained a category 4 hurricane and has had maximum sustained winds of over 145 mph and increased in windspeed this afternoon. This makes hurricane Sam very close to becoming this hurricane season’s first category 5 hurricane. Its current windspeed matches that of Hurricane Ida.

Hurricane Sam was the Fifth Storm this Season to Intensify Rapidly

Many experts are impressed by the way Sam has developed. The storm is the fifth this year to “undergo rapid intensification.” Weather experts define “rapid intensification” as when storms sustained winds increase by more than 35mph in less than 24 hours.

Sam is also about as well located as a storm like this can get. It’s way out in the middle of the ocean. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like this storm is losing steam any time soon, and it has the potential to pose a threat to the Caribbean.

Sam continued on a more northward path this weekend and is expected to continue on that trajectory. The storm is predicted to turn further north as the week continues, but when the storm starts to turn is crucial. The sooner the storm turns north, the more likely it’ll be that it’ll miss a direct hit to the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands. Forecasters predict that that early turn is likely.

Those in the Caribbean as well as those on the east coast of the United States should watch out for high waves, rough surf, and rip currents. Storms of sam’s caliber can cause such conditions for areas hundreds of miles away.

Hurricane season has been a big one this year, and while September may be the biggest month, the season isn’t over yet. With Hurricanes, it’s always important to listen to weather experts about when to evacuate, what to watch out for, and how to stay safe. Right now, all eyes are on Sam as it begins to head north.