On September 9, 1944, it was first discovered just northeast of Puerto Rico. It was already at hurricane strength. Weather reconnaissance aircraft discovered the eye of the storm over the northern part of the Bahamas. The Miami office of the National Hurricane Center named it "Great Atlantic Hurricane" because of its great size. For the next few days it moved steadily in a west-northwest direction. On September 12, 1944, reconnaissance aircraft reported the storm was growing stronger. At this time the winds were reported at over 150 mph and it was about 500 miles across.