Eye on the Tropics

TS Leslie moves toward Bermuda, Hurricane Michael weakens

MIAMI — Two hurricanes are churning in the Atlantic, but neither is headed for landfall on the U.S. coast.

Former Hurricane Leslie has lost some intensity after nearly stalling in the Atlantic.

Leslie, now a tropical storm with winds of 65 mph, is moving north at 5 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Friday the storm was 375 miles south-southeast of Bermuda.

Leslie is expected to strengthen to hurricane status as it moves north.

Current forecast models take Leslie to the east of Bermuda Sunday night.

Leslie is a large storm with Tropical Storm-force winds extending  185 miles from the storm's center.

A tropical storm watch has been issued for Bermuda.

Forecasters said large swells and dangerous rip currents will be a problem along the U.S. East Coast from central Florida north for the next week.

5 DAY FORECAST PATHS:    Leslie  |  Michael  |

COMPUTER MODELS:    Leslie  |  Michael

SPECIAL SECTION:  Hurricane Season 2012

Meanwhile, Hurricane Michael, once a powerful Category 3 storm, has lost some intensity, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Michael is packing winds of 105 mph and traveling to the northwest at 3 mph.

The hurricane,  which was the first Category 3 storm of the season, is well away from land. Michael is 930 miles west-southwest of the Azores.

Forecasters expect Michael to slowly lose strength as it moves north.

According to the Hurricane Center, Michael is the seventh hurricane of the season. It is the third earliest formation of the seventh hurricane in a year behind 1886 and 1893.