Michael rapidly strengthens to Category 2

Hurricane Michael rapidly intensified into a Category 2 storm Thursday far in the Atlantic Ocean but was not threatening land, U.S. forecasters said. Michael was about 1,045 miles west-southwest of the Azores and moving northeast at 7 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 1 a.m. AST advisory. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph with tropical storm-force winds extending 70 miles from the center. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. Michael was expected to turn to the north and north-northwest with a decrease in forward speed over the next two days. Meanwhile, Leslie, a Category 1 hurricane, was about 445 miles south-southeast of Bermuda and moving north at 2 miles per hour, the hurricane center said in its 11 p.m. AST advisory Wednesday. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect, but the center said swells from Leslie could affect Bermuda, the U.S. east coast, the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands for several days.