Hurricane Kirk remains a powerful Category 3 storm in the Atlantic; life-threatening waves expected along the East Coast

Hurricane Kirk swirls in the Atlantic Ocean and does not make landfall

Waves from Hurricane Kirk could cause life-threatening waves and rip current weather conditions this weekend along the U.S. East Coast and eastern Canada, Bermuda, the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas, forecasters said.

Kirk is a Category 3 storm in the Atlantic Ocean and it is expected to “weaken steadily” from Saturday and stay away from land, the United States National Hurricane Center, based in Miami, said on Saturday. Forecasters have warned that “large swells” could reach the East Coast by Sunday.

“Weakening is expected through early next week, but Kirk will remain a significant hurricane for the next few days,” the National Hurricane Center said in a public advisory Saturday.

Swells generated by Kirk were already affecting parts of the Leeward Islands, Bermuda and the Greater Antilles on Friday, the center said. Swells are expected to reach the Bahamas and parts of eastern Canada Saturday evening and Sunday, as well as the Azores on Monday, according to the center.

Where is Hurricane Kirk heading?

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. The major hurricane is located in the central Atlantic Ocean with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph Friday evening. It was located about 90 miles northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands.

The hurricane was heading north-northwest at 13 mph Friday, but is expected to turn northward over the weekend.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and ends on November 30, with most activities taking place between mid-August and mid-October. Hurricane activity tends to peak in mid-September, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

A second hurricane forms in the Atlantic

Meanwhile, Hurricane Leslie strengthened into a Category 1 storm Friday evening in the eastern Atlantic, forecasters said. But this was not yet considered a threat to the earth. A “gradual weakening trend” is expected to begin Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storms formed as many people in the southeastern United States still lacked running water, cell phones and electricity as rescuers searched for the missing. Hurricane Helene hit last week and left a trail of death and catastrophic damage.

At least 225 people were confirmed dead in several states on Friday one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history, according to a CBS News tally.

President Biden I went to Florida and Georgia Thursday to assess the considerable damage caused by the storm.

The trip is the president’s second consecutive day observing hurricane damage in the Southeast. He visited the Carolinas Wednesday, assessing flood damage from Greenville, South Carolina, to AshevilleNorth Carolina, by air, and receiving emergency response updates from officials in Raleigh.

The president announced that the federal government would cover “100 percent” of all costs of debris removal and emergency protection measures in North Carolina for six months and would do the same for Florida and Georgia for the next 90 days.