Hurricane Kirk strengthens into Category 4 storm in the Atlantic

Waves from Hurricane Kirk could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions this weekend along the U.S. East Coast and in eastern Canada, Bermuda, the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas, forecasters said.

Kirk is a Category 4 storm in the Atlantic Ocean and it is expected to weaken this weekend and remain away from land, the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center said Friday. Forecasters warned that "large swells" could reach the East Coast by Sunday.

Swells generated by Kirk are expected to reach portions of the Leeward Islands on Friday and Bermuda and the Greater Antilles on Saturday, the center said. The swells should reach the Bahamas and parts of eastern Canada on Sunday and the Azores on Monday, according to the center.

Where is Hurricane Kirk headed?

There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect. The major hurricane is located in the central Atlantic Ocean with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph as of Friday morning.

The hurricane is heading northwest at 12 mph Friday, but it is expected to turn northeast over the weekend.

Is there another hurricane forming?

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Leslie formed late Wednesday in the eastern Atlantic and could strengthen into a hurricane in the coming days, forecasters said. It also was not yet deemed a threat to land.

The storm has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, the center said.

The storms formed as many people in the U.S. Southeast still lacked running water, cellphone service and electricity as rescuers searched for people unaccounted for after Hurricane Helene struck last week and left a trail of death and catastrophic damage.

At least 219 people were confirmed dead across multiple states Friday in one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history, according to a tally by CBS News.

President Biden went to Florida and Georgia Thursday to survey the widespread damage from the storm.

The trip is the president's second consecutive day viewing hurricane damage in the Southeast. He visited the Carolinas on Wednesday, surveying the flood damage from Greenville, South Carolina, to Asheville , North Carolina, by air, and receiving emergency response updates from officials in Raleigh.

The president announced the federal government will cover "100%" of all debris removal and emergency protective measure costs in North Carolina for six months and will do the same for Florida and Georgia for the next 90 days.