MIAMI (AP) – Tropical Storm Helene developed from a tropical depression in the open Atlantic late Wednesday, while Hurricane Gordon strengthened into a powerful Category 3 hurricane and the remnants of Hurricane Florence brought high winds and heavy rain to Newfoundland in Canada, forecasters said.

Helene had top sustained winds near 40 mph, just above the 39-mph threshold for a tropical storm. It is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

At 11 p.m. EDT, it was located 565 miles west of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands and moving west-northwest over warm Atlantic waters at 22 mph, forecasters said.

Gordon became a major hurricane when its top sustained winds jumped to 120 mph, up from 110 mph earlier in the day, forecasters said.

The hurricane was moving out to sea and was no threat to land, according to the hurricane center. Gordon’s clearly defined eye was centered about 555 miles east-southeast of Bermuda and moving north-northeast near 13 mph.

“It’s possible that some waves could make their way toward Bermuda, but right now the forecast track has Gordon well to the east of Bermuda,” hurricane specialist Michelle Mainelli said. She said the British territory should not even feel tropical storm force winds.

Florence’s remains brought wind gusts of more than 100 mph and bands of rain to southern and southeastern Newfoundland, and dangerous surf was expected, according to the Canadian Hurricane Center.

Tropical storm warnings were discontinued late Wednesday as the extratropical storm pulled away from Newfoundland.

Extratropical storms get their energy from the collision of warm and cold fronts, not the steamy ocean waters that tropical systems feed on.

The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. The National Hurricane Center’s latest forecast for the season expects between seven and nine hurricanes.

—

On the Net:

National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

AP-ES-09-13-06 2324EDT