Hurricane Florence strengthens into Category 4

Hurricane Florence was expected to weaken but remain a strong hurricane over the next few days. Image courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

By Danielle Haynes, UPI

Hurricane Florence strengthened into a Category 4 storm Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said, as it made its way northwest toward Bermuda.

The eye of the storm was 1,085 miles east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands and 1,235 miles east-southeast of Bermuda. It was moving 10 mph toward the northwest and had 125 mph maximum sustained winds, the NHC said in its 11 p.m. EST update.

The storm wasn't near land Wednesday evening and no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

The NHC said Florence was expected to continue traveling toward the northwest through Wednesday night.

"A turn toward the west-northwest with a decrease in forward speed is forecast to begin Thursday night, followed by a turn toward the west by the weekend." the agency said.

The storm could weaken over the next few days, but remain a "strong hurricane" through early next week.

Florence was the first major hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic season.

#GOESEast saw Hurricane #Florence spinning in the open Atlantic Ocean this morning. The Cat. 3 storm is the first major #hurricane in the Atlantic this year, but currently not a threat to land. See more: https://t.co/Yg4cRXhG5n pic.twitter.com/XTv6BSCZJS

— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) September 5, 2018