Sam likely to become major hurricane this weekend, may get ‘uncomfortably close’ to Caribbean

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tropical Storm Sam formed Thursday morning. Read updates below:

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11 p.m. update

Tropical Storm Sam is growing fast and closing in on becoming the season’s seventh hurricane.

Sam is expected to become a major storm this weekend, Channel 9 certified chief meteorologist Tom Terry said.

The storm may get “uncomfortably close” to the northeast Caribbean slands next week, Terry said.

5 p.m. update

Tropical Storm Sam has winds reaching up to 60 MPH and will likely become a large, major hurricane this weekend, Channel 9 Certified Chief Meteorologist Tom Terry said.

Steering winds should keep the brunt of the storm just north of the Northeast Caribbean, including Puerto Rico.

11 a.m. update

Tropical Storm Sam strengthened and became the 18th named storm of the season.

Forecasters said the storm is expected to become a hurricane on Friday.

The storm’s winds are near 50 mph.

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Cleanup begins after Ida drenches Northeast A Manville Police Officer stands guard near the remains of a house that exploded due to severe flooding from Tropical Storm Ida in Manville, NJ., Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. Dozens of people in five states died as storm water cascaded into people’s homes and engulfed automobiles, overwhelming urban drainage systems never meant to handle so much rain in such a short time. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Photo)

Meteorologists said Sam is expected to continue to strengthen over the next few days.

The storm could be near major hurricane intensity by the end of the weekend.

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5 a.m. update

Tropical Depression 18 is expected to strengthen as it moves across the tropical central Atlantic.

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Forecasters said the tropical depression could become a tropical storm on Thursday.

It is then forecast to become a hurricane over the weekend.

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The storm’s winds are near 35 mph.

The next name on the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season list is Sam.

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• Kassandra Crimi
• George Waldenberger
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• Brian Shields

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