Hurricane Kirk strengthens in the Atlantic and could approach Category 5.

Hurricane Kirk, currently a category 3, continues its movement northwest in the Central Atlantic, with sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h).

Meteorologists warn that it could strengthen even more in the next 24 hours. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has reported that Kirk will reach even stronger winds as it moves north this weekend.

There are no coastal alerts or warnings in effect at this time, but the NHC indicated that the spread of large swells generated by Hurricane Kirk may occur.

These waves could reach the Windward Islands on Friday, Bermuda and the Greater Antilles, including Cuba, on Saturday, and the east coast of the United States and the Bahamas on Sunday.

The dangerous conditions of wave and rip currents could threaten the lives of people on the affected coasts.

Residents of the mentioned areas are advised to consult local weather reports and follow the instructions of the authorities.

Despite Hurricane Kirk staying away from populated areas, its impact on the coasts could be significant. Updates on the hurricane's conditions will continue to be issued by the NHC and other meteorological services.

Current location and movement of Kirk

At 5:00 AM AST, the center of Hurricane Kirk was located near latitude 20.0° North and longitude 45.0° West, approximately 1,910 km east of the Leeward Islands and 2,645 km southwest of the Azores.

The hurricane is moving northwest at a speed of 10 mph (17 km/h), and this movement is expected to continue until Friday morning. For the weekend, a turn toward the north and then north-northeast is anticipated, increasing its speed.

Kirk is currently a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. However, experts like hurricane hunter Chase have suggested that Kirk has undergone rapid intensification, which could bring it close to category 5 status in the next 24 hours.

The NHC has also indicated that further strengthening is expected in the coming hours.

Hurricane-force winds extend up to 55 km from the center of the storm, while tropical storm-force winds reach up to 295 km. The estimated minimum central pressure is 955 mb (28.20 inches).

The conditions on the Caribbean coasts and the east coast of the United States must be closely monitored as Kirk advances.