CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A monster is brewing in the Atlantic. Major Hurricane Sam is currently a Category 4 with winds of 145 mph as of the 11 PM update on Sunday. While that’s a mere 11 mph away from becoming a Category 5, a weakening trend has grabbed hold of the system. Satellite imagery is showing Sam’s western side slowly being eroded away, while its once well-defined eye wobbles and periodically closes. While Sam will continue to weaken over the coming days, it remains a dangerous storm. The major hurricane should maintain its status as it shifts northwestward and approaches Bermuda by next weekend.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) suggests that the storm will stay well away from the U.S. coastline, but rip currents could be an issue through the weekend ahead. Most model trends take the storm east of Bermuda and could deliver a glancing blow to Atlantic Canada before falling apart over cooler waters next week. We’ll keep you posted with updates to the storm’s track and intensity.