Hurricane Gonzalo strengthens in Caribbean

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua (AP) — Hurricane Gonzalo formed today in the Caribbean and was on course to move out over open ocean after buffeting Antigua and nearby islands with heavy rain and dangerous wind.

Gonzalo passed near Antigua as a tropical storm, tearing roofs from people’s homes and knocking down trees, then gathered enough force near the tiny territories of St. Martin and Anguilla to be reclassified as a hurricane.

“It’s intensified at a pretty brisk pace since yesterday and we expect it to strengthen,” said Michael Brennan, a senior hurricane specialist tracking the system from the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The center of the strengthening hurricane was on track to pass near or just east of the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. It was not expected to reach the U.S. mainland but forecasters said it could develop into a major hurricane over open ocean and pose a threat to Bermuda later in the week.

“It’s certainly something that people in Bermuda will want to pay attention to,” Brennan said.

As of 8 p.m., the center of Gonzalo was about 5 miles (10 kilometers) north of St. Martin and 125 miles (205 kilometers) east of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) and was moving toward the northwest at 12 mph (19 kph).