Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Helene becomes fourth hurricane of Atlantic season
09-18-2006

MIAMI, USA (AFP): Tropical Storm Helene grew to hurricane strength Saturday in the Atlantic Ocean, US forecasters said.

Helene, the eighth named storm and fourth hurricane of the 2006 Atlantic season, was about 1,145 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, according to a US National Hurricane Center advisory.

The hurricane was packing winds of 75 miles per hour, with higher gusts, and some strengthening was forecast for the next 24 hours, the center said at 11:00 am EDT.

Helene was a Category One hurricane, at the bottom of the five-category Saffir-Simpson scale.

A second Atlantic hurricane, Gordon, was almost stationary 655 miles east of Bermuda, with maximum sustained winds of near 75 miles per hour. Some slow weakening was forecast for the next 24 hours.