(This story was updated to add new information.)
The National Hurricane Center is tracking three systems in the Atlantic, including a major hurricane that's continuing to strengthen.
Hurricane Kirk is currently a Category 4 storm and is expected to grow even stronger, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. A major hurricane is one with sustained winds of at least 111 mph, making it a Category 3, 4 or 5 storm.
While Kirk is expected to remain over open waters, swells from the storm are expected to reach the east coast of the U.S. and Bahamas Sunday, bringing life-threatening surf and dangerous rip currents.
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Kirk became the third hurricane since Sept. 25 — following Helene and Isaac. It's the first time on record (since 1851) the Atlantic has had three hurricanes between Sept. 25 and Oct. 1, said Dr. Philip Klotzbach, meteorologist at Colorado State University specializing in Atlantic basin seasonal hurricane forecasts.
President Joe Biden landed at Tallahassee International Airport Thursday (Oct. 3) on his way toPerry, Florida in Taylor Countyto see firsthand thedevastation wrought by Hurricane Helene.
Also in the Atlantic basin — which consists of the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico — are Tropical Storm Leslie and a potential system of low pressure in the Caribbean that's moving into the Gulf.
The next named storms in the Atlantic hurricane season will be Milton and Nadine.
Is there a hurricane coming to Florida?
There is not a hurricane expected to hit land at this time but a broad area of low pressure is expected to develop over the Gulf of Mexico later this weekend or early next week.
Environmental conditions are now limiting the potential for tropical development of the system, but regardless of development, locally heavy rain could occur over portions of the Florida Peninsula next week, according to the Hurricane Center.
Here's the latest update from the National Hurricane Center as of 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3:
Hurricane Kirk: What you should know
- Location: 1,085 miles east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands; 1,655 southwest of the Azores
- Maximum sustained winds: 130 mph
- Movement: northwest at 12 mph
➤Spaghetti models for Hurricane Kirk
At 5 p.m. EDT, the center of Hurricane Kirk was located near latitude 21.1 North, longitude 46.7 West.
Kirk is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue through early Friday.
A turn toward the north and north-northeast at a faster forward speed is forecast over the weekend.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 130 mph with higher gusts.
Kirk is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some additional strengthening is forecast the next day or so.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.
Tropical Storm Leslie: What you should know
- Location: 580 miles west-southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands
- Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph
- Movement: west at 6 mph
➤Spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Leslie
At 5 p.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Leslie was located near latitude 10.1 North, longitude 31.5 West.
Leslie is moving toward the west near 6 mph.
A slow westward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a slightly faster west-northwestward motion Friday through Saturday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph with higher gusts. Steady strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Leslie is forecast to become a hurricane on Friday.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center.
What else is out there and how likely are they to strengthen?
Northwestern Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico: Disorganized showers and thunderstorms over portions of the Gulf of Mexico are associated with a surface trough.
A broad area of low pressure is likely to develop over the Gulf of Mexico this weekend or early next week, but subsequent tropical or subtropical development could be limited by the system's potential interaction with a frontal boundary.
Regardless of development, locally heavy rains could occur over portions of Mexico during the next few days and over portions of the Florida Peninsula from late this weekend into next week.
- Formation chance through 48 hours: low, near 0 percent.
- Formation chance through 7 days: low, 30 percent.
What do the colored areas on the NOAA map mean?
The hatched areas on a tropical outlook map indicate "areas where a tropical cyclone — which could be a tropical depression, tropical storm or hurricane — could develop," said National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome.
The colors make it visibly clear how likely a system could develop with yellow being low, orange medium and red high.
The National Hurricane Center generally doesn't issue tropical advisories until there is a named storm, but there is an exception.
"If a system is near land and there is potential for development, the National Hurricane Center won't wait before it issues advisories, even if the system hasn't become an actual storm. This gives residents time to prepare," Rhome said.
Who is likely to be impacted?
Hurricane Kirk is expected to stay in the central Atlantic but swells from the storm are expected to reach the east coast of the U.S. and Bahamas Sunday, bringing life-threatening surf and dangerous rip currents.
All residents along the Gulf Coast, including Florida, should watch the system moving into the Gulf of Mexico, according to Dr. Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist with WeatherTiger. Truchelut is a Florida meteorologist who works with the USA TODAY Network.
Heavy rainfall, up to 3 inches in some areas, are likely for Central and South Florida between Sunday and Tuesday, Truchelut said.
Tropical Storm Leslie is still too far from the U.S. to determine whether there will be any impacts to Florida or the U.S.
Forecasters urge all residents to continuemonitoring the tropics and to always be prepared. That advice is particularly important for what is expected to be a very active hurricane season.
Weather watches and warnings issued in Florida
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When is hurricane season over?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
When is the peak of hurricane season?
The peak of the season was Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center.
National Hurricane Center map: What are forecasters watching now?
Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center include:
Interactive map: Hurricanes, tropical storms that have passed near your city
Excessive rainfall forecast
What's next?
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(This story was updated to add new information.)
