Hurricane Kirk intensifies to a Category 4 storm in the Atlantic

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is regarded as exceptional due to the strengthening of Kirk and Leslie in the Atlantic.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said on Thursday that Kirk, a Category 3 storm in the Atlantic Ocean, was likely to stay far from land even though it could intensify even more. But by Sunday, "large swells" might make their way to the East Coast, according to forecasters.

According to the center, swells brought on by Kirk were predicted to hit parts of the Leeward Islands on Friday and Bermuda and the Greater Antilles on Saturday.

Neither coastal watches nor warnings were in force. With maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, the major hurricane was located approximately 1,130 miles east of the Leeward Islands.

Leslie followed shortly after Kirk's formation. As of Friday, October 4, it is predicted to intensify into a hurricane, making it the twelfth named tropical storm to form. By breaking Kirk's newly established record, that would make it the furthest east that a hurricane has formed at this time of year.

This season has started earlier than expected. October 11th is typically the average date of the 12th named storm. On October 2, the 12th named storm, Leslie, developed, elevating the season to a "above average" status.

As rescuers looked for missing persons following Hurricane Helene's deadly and devastating aftermath last week, which left a path of death and destruction, the storms developed in the U.S. Southeast, where many people still lacked access to electricity, running water, and cellphone service.

One of the deadliest storms in US history claimed the lives of over 200 people on Thursday across several states.

There have been 12 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes so far in the 2024 season. November 30th is the last day of the season.