Hurricane Joaquin as seen by the GOES West satellite on October 1, 2015. (Source: NOAA) With 130 mile per hour winds, Hurricane Joaquin has now spun up into a dangerous Category 4 storm — and some additional strengthening is possible, according to this evening's forecast discussion page of the National Hurricane Center. But despite that unsettling news, the weather models have increasingly nudged Joaquin's forecast track to the east. Although it is still too soon to say with certainty that the storm will stay at sea, that is looking increasingly likely.