Although Kirk is forecast to turn north and stay over the open Atlantic, the NHC said the storm could cause "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" that could reach portions of the Leeward Islands on Friday, Bermuda and the Greater Antilles on Saturday, and the east coast of the United States and the Bahamas on Sunday.

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.

While Hurricane Kirk is expected to stay over the Atlantic Ocean, impacts could be felt as far as the East Coast of the United States by Sunday.