NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- After several days churning offshore of the Carolina coastline, the Atlantic hurricane season's third named storm is starting to make its way up the East coast.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says that as of 11 p.m. Wednesday, Hurricane Chris has maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour with higher gusts, weakening Chris to a Category 1 Hurricane. After several days of being nearly stationary, the storm is now moving to the northeast at 29 miles per hour. It is currently located about 700 miles east-northeast of Cape Hatteras.
Little change in the hurricane's strength is expected Wednesday, with some weakening expected on Thursday.
Here are the hurricane categories broken down by the National Hurricane Center's Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale:
- Category 1: Sustain winds of 74-95 mph, dangerous winds will produce some damage
- Category 2: Sustain winds of 96-110 mph, extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage
- Category 3 (Major): Sustain winds of 111-129 mph, devastating damage will occur
- Category 4 (Major): Sustain winds of 130-156 mph, catastrophic damage will occur
- Category 5 (Major): Sustain winds of 157 mph or higher, catastrophic damage will occur
The system is expected to become a strong post-tropical cyclone by Thursday night.
Current models suggest any tropical-storm-force winds will occur in the eastern quadrant of the system, away from the U.S. coast and therefore, no watches or warnings are in place at this time.
Full Coverage: 13News Now Hurricane Center
Still, “swells generated by the depression are expected to increase and affect portions of the coasts of North Carolina and the mid-Atlantic states this weekend,” forecasters said. “These swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”
One person has died after being pulled from rough surf in Kill Devil Hills over the weekend.
► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13News Now App.