Hurricane Joaquin formed near the Bahamas on Wednesday and quickly threatened to turn its sights toward the U.S. East Coast, according to weather reports.
The National Weather Service says winds have increased to 80 MPH and are expected to become stronger. But meteorologists cannot quite predict its path as it slowly develops in the Caribbean.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for the Bahamas but no injuries or property damage has been reported. The Category 1 storm is the third named hurricane of the season.
Whether or not Joaquin heads toward the United States depends on several factors including an East Coast cold front and the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida among others. Weather models include various paths that take the storm straight into the middle of the Eastern Seabord and others that take it into the New York area, while others have it turning back into the Atlantic Ocean.
