Hurricane Kirk Could Cause Life Threatening Surf Conditions Along US East Coast In Bahamas

Miami: Waves from Hurricane Kirk could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions this weekend along the US East Coast as well as in Bermuda, the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas, forecasters said.

Kirk was a Category 3 storm in the central Atlantic Ocean and could strengthen further, but was expected to remain away from land, the Miami-based US National Hurricane Centre said Thursday.

Swells generated by Kirk were expected to reach portions of the Leeward Islands on Friday, Bermuda and the Greater Antilles on Saturday, and the East Coast and the Bahamas on Sunday, the centre said.

There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect. The major hurricane was about 1,820 kilometres east of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 205 kph.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Leslie formed late Wednesday in the eastern Atlantic and could strengthen into a hurricane in the coming days, forecasters said. It also was not yet deemed a threat to land.

The storm was located about 870 kilometres southwest of the southernmost tip of the Cabo Verde Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 75 kph, the centre said.

The storms churned in the Atlantic as rescuers in the US Southeast searched for people unaccounted for after Hurricane Helene struck last week, leaving behind a trail of death and catastrophic damage.