Hurricane Helene, the second of 3 storms in Atlantic, to swing northwest

Hurricane Helene is swirling in the Atlantic Ocean behind Hurricane Florence and ahead of Isaac. Image courtesy National Hurricane Center

UPI
Tropical Storm Helene has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane, behind Hurricane Florence and in front of Hurricane Isaac in the Atlantic, forecasters said Monday.

Helene strengthened from Category 1 early Monday to Category 2, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph in the mid-eastern Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest update.

Helene is located about 535 miles west of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands and is moving west-northwest at 12 mph.

Helene is expected to continue to move west-northwestward and decrease in forward speed late Tuesday, before turning toward the northwest and then toward the north-northwest on Wednesday and Thursday, the NHC said.

By remaining over warm waters, strengthening is likely through the early part of this week, the NHC forecast discussion said Monday.

Afterward, increasing south-southwesterly shear and marginal sea surface temperatures should induce weakening.

There were no other coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles.

Florence is a major hurricane and is expected to make landfall near the Carolinas on the U.S. East Coast.