Joaquin continues to strengthen in Atlantic; track uncertain

“Confidence in the details of the forecast after 72 hours remains low”, National Hurricane Center said in an update at 5 a.m. Thursday. Its center was about 75 miles southeast of San Salvador Island at 8 a.m. ET, moving at about 5 mph.

Reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 80 miles per hour – a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, according to the NWS.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami sent a plane aloft Wednesday to gather data about Joaquin that will hopefully “get those models into better agreement”, said Rick Knabb, the center’s director.

Hurricane Joaquin is strengthening as it approaches the Bahamas, with an eye on the United States East Coast.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center’s long-term forecast showed the storm could near the U.S. East Coast along North Carolina and Virginia on Sunday.

Joaquin is now a major (category 3) hurricane. Forecasters say a few fluctuations in intensity are possible Friday.

Joaquin is the third hurricane of the 2015 Atlantic season, which began in June and ends in November.

The weather forecast through Saturday may send you to the dictionary to see how many synonyms it has for “yuck” as the Triangle gets squeezed between a cold front to the west and the newly formed Hurricane Joaquin.

According to AccuWeather, the storm will bring pounding surf, unsafe seas, strong winds, drenching squalls and flash flooding to the central Bahamas.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Central Bahamas, the Northwestern Bahamas including the Abacos, Berry Islands, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and New Providence.

In Spartanburg, South Carolina, the heavy rains flooded and closed streets.

No matter what, the east coast will need to be ready for lots of heavy rain (pictured right), which could be made worse by a landfalling tropical cyclone.

Residents south of Sunrise Highway and north of Route 25A are advised to make plans to find shelter with friends or family outside those zones, should evacuation become necessary, the county said Wednesday. “It looks like it is really going to be wreaking havoc on parts of the Bahamas”, said Chief Meteorologist Carrie Duncan.

“We will continue to monitor this significant storm over the next few days”, First Selectman Michael Tetreau said.