The Latest: Tropical Storm Humberto continues to strengthen

MIAMI — The Latest on tropical weather in the Atlantic (all times local):

5:15 p.m.

Forecasters say Tropical Storm Humberto continues to strengthen, raising the risk of dangerous rip currents on the southeastern U.S. coast.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami reports Monday evening that Humberto is about 170 miles (270 kilometres) east-northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, and has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph). The storm is moving north at 6 mph (9 kph).

Humberto is expected to become a hurricane Monday night but remain away from land. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect, but the hurricane centre said large swells from the storm could create dangerous surf conditions for the northwestern Bahamas and southeastern U.S. coast in the next few days.

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11:30 a.m.

Gusty winds from Tropical Storm Humberto are sweeping through portions of the northwestern Bahamas that were battered by Hurricane Dorian.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Humberto is 165 miles (270 kilometres) east-northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, and 180 miles (290 kilometres) north-northwest of Great Abaco island, which was decimated when Dorian barrelled into the Bahamas earlier this month.

At 11 a.m. EDT, the storm was moving north at 7 mph (11 kph).

No coastal watches or warnings are in effect, although forecasters say Humberto will bring large swells to the northwestern Bahamas and southeastern U.S. coast for several days. The storm is expected to strengthen to a hurricane as it moves to the western Atlantic Ocean.

The Associated Press