Hurricane Sam strengthened back to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Tuesday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Sam was located at latitude 17.5°N and longitude 54.3°W which put it about 580 miles (935 km) east of the Northern Leeward Islands. Sam moving toward the northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 130 m.p.h. (215 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 954 mb.

Hurricane Sam strengthened back to Category 4 after completing several Eyewall Replacement Cycles. The Eyewall Replacement Cycles also resulted in an increase in the size of Hurricane Sam. A larger circular eye with a diameter of 40 miles (65 km) was present at the center of Sam. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Hurricane Sam. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

The circulation around Hurricane Sam was larger after the completion of the Eyewall Replacement Cycles. Winds to hurricane force extended out 40 miles (65 km) from the center of Sam. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (225 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Sam was 25.1. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 14.2 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 39.3.

Hurricane Sam will move through an environment capable of sustaining a major hurricane during the next 48 hours. Sam will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Sam could strengthen in the favorable environment.

Hurricane Sam will move around the southwestern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high will steer Sam toward the northwest during the next 48 hours. On its anticipated track Hurricane Sam could pass northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands on Thursday. Sam could be southeast of Bermuda by Friday.