Michael weakens to Category 2 hurricane

Hurricane Michael ratcheted back slightly to a Category 2 storm Wednesday evening as it roared out in the Atlantic Ocean away from land, U.S. forecasters said. Michael had become the Atlantic's first Category 3 hurricane of the season earlier in the day, with 115 mph winds. Top sustained winds were 110 mph by evening, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 5 p.m. EDT advisory. Michael was so far out to sea -- about 945 miles west-southwest of the Azores and moving to the north-northeast at 6 mph -- that no coastal watches or warnings were necessary, the forecasters said. Michael was forecast to veer to the north and north-northwest while slowing its forward progress and weakening slightly through Friday. Michael is a fairly small storm, with hurricane-force winds extending out just 15 miles from its eye and tropical storm-force gales reaching out up to 70 miles.