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On September 10, the [[Television Infrared Observation Satellite]] observed an area of [[convection (meteorology)|convection]], or thunderstorms, to the southwest of the [[Cape Verde]] islands, suggesting the possibility of [[tropical cyclogenesis]].<ref name="prelim">{{cite report|author=Arthur I. Cooperman|author2=Howard C. Sumner|author3=James K. McGuire|url =http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/hurricanes/Qc9452e82h81961.pdf| title = Hurricane Esther September 11–26 (A Preliminary Report)|page=1| accessdate = 2014-08-29 | year = 1961 | publisher = United States Weather Bureau}}</ref> At 18:00 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] that day, a tropical depression formed and subsequently moved on a northwest trajectory.<ref name="hurdat">{{cite report|title=Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)|author=National Hurricane Center; Hurricane Research Division|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|year=2014|accessdate=2014-08-29|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/hurdat2.html}}</ref> By the time the [[Hurricane Hunters]] reached the system on September 12, winds of hurricane force were recorded,<ref name="mwr">{{cite journal|title=The Hurricane Season of 1961|journal=Monthly Weather Review|date=1962-03-01|volume=90|issue=3|pages=107–119|doi=10.1175/1520-0493(1962)090<0107:THSO>2.0.CO;2|url=http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/090/mwr-090-03-0107.pdf|accessdate=2014-08-29|author=Dunn, Gordon E.|publisher=American Meteorological Society|bibcode = 1962MWRv...90..107D }}</ref> and as such, the [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]] [[National Weather Service|Weather Bureau]] began issuing warnings on Hurricane Esther.<ref name="prelim"/> It was later estimated that the system attained tropical storm status on September 11,<ref name="hurdat"/> although the [[National Hurricane Center]] later noted that it could have attained hurricane status by this date, thus potentially being one of four simultaneous hurricanes, along with hurricanes Betsy, [[Hurricane Carla|Carla]], and [[Hurricane Debbie (1961)|Debbie]]. The only other such occasions were in [[1893 Atlantic hurricane season|1893]] and [[1998 Atlantic hurricane season|1998]].<ref>{{cite report|author=Max Mayfield |title=Hurricane Karl Preliminary Report |publisher=National Hurricane Center |access-date=2014-08-29 |url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1998karl.html |date=1998-11-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602070135/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1998karl.html |archivedate=2013-06-02 }}</ref> This also made Esther the first hurricane to be discovered by [[satellite imagery]], although not the first to be imaged by one.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://history.nasa.gov/SP-168/section1.htm|accessdate=2014-08-29|title=SP-168 Exploring Space with a Camera|publisher=NASA}}</ref>
After becoming a hurricane, Esther turned more to the west-northwest, influenced by the strengthening [[Azores High|Bermuda High]] that built behind Hurricane Debbie well to the north.<ref name="mwr"/> By September 13, the storm attained major hurricane status, which is a Category 3 on the current-day [[Saffir-Simpson scale]] with [[maximum sustained wind|sustained winds]] of {{convert|115|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="hurdat"/> By that time, the [[gale]] force winds extended about {{convert|230|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} from the center, with hurricane-force winds spreading {{convert|135|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} to the north.<ref name="prelim"/> After maintaining winds of {{convert|125|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} for about two days, Esther weakened slightly on September 16 while passing well north of the [[Lesser Antilles]].<ref name="hurdat"/> On the next day, the hurricane passed about {{convert|375|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} north of [[Puerto Rico]]. Late on September 17, the [[atmospheric pressure|barometric pressure]] fell to {{convert|927|mbar|kPa inHg|abbr=on|lk=on}} in the center of Esther, and operationally the Hurricane Hunters estimated winds of {{convert|150|mph|km/h|abbr=on|round=5}}.<ref name="prelim"/> This was later lowered slightly to {{convert|145|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, which would be its peak intensity attained on September 18, making it a [[List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes|Category 4]] hurricane.<ref name="hurdat"/> However, reanalysis as part of the [[Atlantic hurricane reanalysis]] project concluded that Esther was in fact a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 160 mph (260 km/h); this has now been officially incorporated into [[HURDAT]].<ref>https://ams.confex.com/ams/33HURRICANE/webprogram/Paper339830.html</ref>
Around the time of attaining peak winds, Esther began moving more to the northwest toward the [[east coast of the United States]], influenced by a dissipating [[cold front]] that exited the coast on September 15. On September 20, the hurricane passed about {{convert|120|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} east of [[Cape Hatteras]] while turning to the north-northeast.<ref name="mwr"/> It continued up the coastline, later passing about {{convert|150|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} east of the [[Delmarva Peninsula]].<ref name="prelim"/> Another trough from the west steered Esther to the northeast and was expected to cause the storm to accelerate,<ref name="mwr"/> potentially bringing it over [[Cape Cod]]. While turning, the hurricane passed about {{convert|110|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} south of the eastern tip of [[Long Island]], {{convert|35|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Block Island]],<ref name="prelim"/> and just {{convert|27|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} south of [[Nantucket Island]]. After the trough bypassed the hurricane, Esther slowed and turned to the east - away from land and over much cooler waters.<ref name="mwr"/> It quickly weakened to tropical storm status on September 22,<ref name="hurdat"/> and on that day the Weather Bureau discontinued advisories, remarking that Esther no longer had tropical characteristics.<ref name="prelim"/>
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