Hurricane Sam strengthens to Category 4

Hurricane Sam strengthens to Category 4

ORLANDO -- Hurricane Sam strengthened to a major Category 4 storm Saturday morning while Teresa is now a post-tropical cyclone, the National Hurricane Center reported.

Sam, the seventh hurricane of the season, now has maximum sustained winds of 150 mph and higher gusts and is moving west-northwest at 10 mph, according to the center's 5 p.m. update.

The storm's reach is fairly small with its hurricane-force winds reaching 15 miles from its core, and its tropical-storm-force winds extending 60 miles. As of the latest update, Sam is 1,025 miles east from the northern Leeward Islands. Sam is forecast to decrease in forward speed over the weekend, said hurricane specialist John Cangialosi.

It is still unclear whether Sam will affect Florida or any part of the United States.

Meanwhile, Post-Tropical Cyclone Teresa downgraded to a remnant low and the center will stop monitoring it. It noted Teresa will be the ninth storm that is weak and short-lived.

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