Helene grows to Category 2 hurricane

[stu]

MIAMI, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Hurricane Helene strengthened into a Category 2 storm Sunday, but was in the open Atlantic hundreds of miles from land, forecasters said.

 

At 11 a.m. EDT, the storm had maximum sustained winds near 105 mph and was centered about 935 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands, moving northwest at 10 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami reported.

 

The season's fourth hurricane could strengthen further, the center said.

 

Hurricane Gordon refused to weaken and picked up speed Sunday, but it too was hundreds of miles from land.

 

Gordon had top sustained winds near 80 mph, up slightly from earlier Sunday. Its ragged eye was centered about 1,495 miles west of the Azores and was moving north around 10 mph, significantly faster than its speed of 3 mph Saturday.

 

The hurricane center said it expected Gordon's speed to continue to increase.

 

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