Tropical Storms Leslie and Michael upgraded to hurricane status Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center announced on Thursday. Neither hurricane is expected to make landfall in the United States.
Hurricane Leslie, a Category 1 hurricane, has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, the Miami-based center said. Moving at a glacial pace of 2 mph, Leslie is projected to continue on its northward drift for the next 48 hours.
Although Leslie is not expected to make landfall, the NHC warned that swells generated by the hurricane will affect Bermuda, the East Coast from central Florida northward, the northern Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands for the next few days.
Hurricane Michael quickly became a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday night, with maximum sustained winds of nearly 115 mph. According to the NHC, Michael is moving towards the northeast at about 7 mph and is not expected to strengthen on Thursday. Hurricane Michael is the seventh hurricane this season and the first to reach Category 3 status.
The hurricane, which is anticipated to begin weakening on Friday, poses no immediate threat to land, the center said.
In the Gulf Coast, a low pressure system is being monitored by the center. The system, remnants of Hurricane Isaac, has a 40 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours. According to the NHC, the system has yet to become better organized and has a day for potential development before conditions become unfavorable.
Maps of Leslie, Michael and Low Pressure System:
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