ORLANDO, Fla. _ Tropical Storm Sebastien is strengthening as the final days of hurricane season come spiraling closer to the drain.
Sebastien increased its maximum sustained winds to 50 mph Wednesday morning and is maintaining a forward speed of 8 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center's 5 a.m. update.
Its tropical-storm-force winds can be felt 150 miles from the storm's core, NHC hurricane specialist Daniel Brown.
Forecasters expect to see more strengthening later Wednesday as Sebastien continues to move toward the north, northwest, Brown said.
A turn toward the northeast is expected Wednesday night, negating any chance of contact with the United States.
After its northeastern turn, it is expected to be enveloped by a cold front Friday, leading Sebastien to become an extratropical cyclone, Brown said.
Sebastien is the 19th named storm of the 2019 hurricane season, which ends on Dec. 1.
