 A strong tropical storm , named Able by the Air Weather Service in real time , was first identified on August 26 about 300 mi ( 485 km ) northeast of Saint John , as ship reports indicated winds of Force 9 . However , it is likely that Able formed much farther east , possibly as a Cape Verde @-@ type hurricane . The tropical cyclone quickly intensified to a hurricane , and it continued to steadily progress northwest . The storm strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane on August 27 , and while turning west @-@ northwestward it continued to intensify . The cyclone peaked as a 120 mph ( 195 km / h ) Category 3 hurricane by 1800 UTC on August 28 , which was measured by a reconnaissance aircraft flight . Its forward motion slowed on August 29 , and it began to weaken as it turned to the north on August 30 . The tropical system weakened to a minimal hurricane , and it accelerated to the northeast on August 31 . The storm soon became extratropical before striking southern Newfoundland on September 2 . Over the next several days , the system slowly weakened , and its remnants turned east before dissipating south of southern Iceland on September 5 . 
