Storm Humberto strengthens but moves away from Bahamas and US

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Tropical storm Humberto gained strength Sunday and was expected to return to hurricane force by evening, but its track now puts it far from the Bahamas and the US coast, the US National Hurricane Center said.

As of midday, Humberto was 180 miles (290 kilometers) northwest of Great Abaco Island, which was devastated two weeks ago by the passage of Hurricane Dorian, and 165 miles northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, the NHC said in an update at 15H00 GMT.

It had maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour, slightly below hurricane strength, but was expected to gain power through the day.

"Humberto is expected to become a hurricane by tonight," the NHC said.

It warned beachgoers in the US states of Florida and North Carolina that heavy swells "could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions."