Hurricane Kirk continues to strengthen in the Atlantic Ocean and could bring large swells to the east coast of the United States by Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The hurricane center said in an advisory Thursday morning Kirk was located about 1,

Hurricane Kirk is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, nowhere near land. But the storm, which was classified as a Category 4 storm as of Friday, Oct. 4, could still affect North Carolina, the East Coast and islands including Bermuda and the Bahamas, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters say Hurricane Kirk has strengthened into a Category 3 storm in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to grow rapidly into a major hurricane.