East Coast on Alert as Hurricane Joaquin Intensifies to Category 3

Hurricane Joaquin strengthened overnight to a Category 3 storm with 120 mile per hour winds. It is expected to hit the Central Bahamas Thursday, battering the islands with hurricane force winds, storm surge and heavy rain through the night.

If it stays on its current track, the National Weather Service says, Joaquin could hit South Carolina sometime Saturday afternoon, North Carolina Sunday afternoon and the DC area by mid-afternoon Monday before continuing to track north into New York, New Jersey and southern New England.

Forecasters emphasized that Joaquin’s path has been unpredictable, changing with virtually every update from the National Weather Service, and may not hit the coast directly. Nevertheless, the hurricane remains a real threat and could cause serious damage to coastal towns regardless of whether they take a direct hit.

Ahead of Joaquin, weather systems brought record-breaking rain to the East Coast on Wednesday. While it stays dry with cooler temperatures on Thursday, more rain is on the way Thursday night into Friday for much of the East Coast. Additionally, the area is expected to deal with coastal flooding, high winds and high seas.

The NWS says persistent northeast winds will result in several rounds minor coastal flooding beginning Thursday through Saturday and these winds will also result in high seas and gales lasting into Saturday. There is also a high risk of rip currents on Thursday.

Be prepared: Follow these steps to get ready for the storm.

Stay informed: Here are 5 Things to Know about the approaching storm.

Find out the rest of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane names.