The Atlantic Just Got Its 1st Jan. Hurricane Since 1938

For just the fourth time since we began tracking storms 165 years ago, the Atlantic Ocean is experiencing a January hurricane. Hurricane Alex, brewing about 500 miles south of the Azores, became the first named storm of 2016 as well as the first January hurricane formed in the Atlantic since 1938 with winds reaching 85mph on Thursday, reports CNN. The hurricane is moving north and is expected to hit the Azores on Friday.

Hurricane warnings have been issued for the central Azores islands, while other islands are under tropical storm warnings. Between 3 and 7 inches of rain is expected that "could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," the National Hurricane Center says, per USA Today. Coastal flooding is also expected. The Weather Channel reports the storm will become "a non-tropical low pressure system" late Friday while moving toward Greenland. (More hurricane stories.)