Hurricane Sandy has formed according to the 11 am EDT update from the NOAA National Hurricane Center. Environmental conditions are expected to remain favorable for additional strengthening to occur up until Sandy makes landfall on Jamaica early this evening. Uncertainties in the progression of atmospheric conditions after that, including wind shear effects and interactions of the storm with land, are contributing to a low confidence in the forecast out to 120 hours. This image was taken by GOES East at 1445Z on October 24, 2012.