Subtropical Storm Teresa forms; Hurricane Sam could reach Category 4 status this weekend

TAMPA, Fla. - While Hurricane Sam strengthened Friday morning to become the seventh named hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean this season, Subtropical Storm Teresa quickly spun up to the north of Bermuda early Friday evening.

The National Hurricane Center said Teresa is expected to be short-lived, likely dissipating over the western Atlantic north of Bermuda by Sunday. 

Sam is forecast to continue strengthening to become a major hurricane by this weekend and even reach Category 4 status. As of the 4 p.m. advisory, Hurricane Sam was located over 1300 miles away from the Leeward Islands and has 75 mph winds, moving at 15 mph. 

"Yesterday morning at 11 a.m., it became a tropical storm," says FOX 13's meteorologist Dave Osterberg. "This morning, at 5 a.m., we got a hurricane."

Based on its current forecast track, the more it strengthens, the more likely it could move out to open water and dodge the U.S., he says.

LINK: Track Hurricane Sam on MyFOXHurricane.com

"Because it's going to feel the influence of this trough out here, this weakness if you will," Osterberg explained, "and this big ridge of high pressure and it will start to take that turn."

The National Hurricane Center reports that Sam could become a Category 4 storm this weekend. 

"But notice how it starts to take that turn to the north from there, missing the Leeward Islands. So this point, with a path like this, other than Bermuda, we keep it out to sea," Osterberg said while explaining the current forecast path. "It’s good news but at the same time I don’t trust any tropical system. We’ll wait and watch for that turn over the weekend."