According to a 5:00am advisory by the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) today, September 28, 2021, Sam is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

Some fluctuations in intensity are expected during the next couple of days, but Sam is forecast to remain a major hurricane through late this week.

Location of Sam

At 5:00 am, the centre of Hurricane Sam was located near latitude 17.2 North, longitude 53.9 West.

“Sam is moving toward the northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h), and this motion is expected to continue for the next few days, with an increase in forward speed beginning on Thursday. A turn toward the north is expected by Friday. On the forecast track, Sam will pass well to the northeast of the northern Leeward Islands on Wednesday and Thursday,” the NHC said.

Hurricane force winds extend 40 miles from centre

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km).

The estimated minimum central pressure based on dropsonde data from the aircraft is 953 mb (28.15 inches).

Hurricane Sam is currently approximately 618 miles East-northeast of the Virgin Islands and is expected to pass North-northeast at about 400 miles of the Virgin Islands between Wednesday and Thursday.