UPDATED 9/10/19: The National Hurricane Center said Monday its latest predictions show Florence tracking towards North and South Carolina, many miles south of New York City. It is expected to make landfall on Friday. It is still too far out to sea for forecasters to be certain about its path.

A category 3 hurricane churning hundreds of miles off the East Coast could be on track to hit land – with New York in its crosshairs, experts warned Thursday. Hurricane Florence's 115 mph winds were stirring up the Atlantic east of Bermuda Thursday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. It's moving northwest at 12 mph and is expected to remain a strong hurricane for several days.

AccuWeather meteorologists said there is a very real chance the North Eastern U.S. will be affected. It is "forecast to push close enough to Bermuda and the United States East Coast to have indirect impact and may evolve into a serious direct threat," said a forecaster with the service, Alex Sosnowski.



Hurricane #Florence hitting stronger upper level winds this morning, weakening it from a category 4 to a 3. Weakening may continue next 24-36 hours as it passes through this jet, then restrengthening expected. Morning models still show large spread in track scenarios next week. pic.twitter.com/iWchna3f7t

— Mike Thomas (@MikeTFox5) September 6, 2018 He added, "If the high pressure area remains strong, then Florence may complete a 3,500-mile-long journey over the Atlantic and be guided right into the U.S. East Coast somewhere from the Carolinas to southern New England sometime during Wednesday or Thursday of next week."

At the least, swells from the storm will begin to hit the East Coast early next week, with the National Hurricane Center warning they will cause life threatening surf and rip currents.

Florence is the first storm above category 3 to form this season and has formed as the Atlantic hurricane season reaches its peak.

Tropical Storm Gordon hit Mississippi Tuesday, with the remnants expected to bring rain to the New York area by next week.