Joaquin Reaches Hurricane Status

Tropical Storm Joaquin intensified to a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday morning as it neared the Bahamas, while the East Coast braces for its potential landfall in the next few days. The National Weather Service said the storm reached hurricane status as maximum sustained winds topped 75 mph. It’s still unclear whether the storm could track up the East Coast, which would bring with it more rain, coastal flooding, beach erosion, and strong winds. New York City and parts of New Jersey were expected to see as much as two to three inches of rain Wednesday, with possible flooding.