ORLANDO, Fla. — Tropical Storm Leslie is still just below hurricane criteria as it sits over the open waters of the central Atlantic.

This storm does not pose a threat to Florida or the U.S., but swells generated by Leslie will create life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along our east coast for most of the week.

Leslie is packing sustained winds of 70 mph; the storm is expected to intensify into a hurricane by or early Wednesday.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 230 miles from the center.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 230 miles from the center.

It is located 510 miles east-southeast of Bermuda and moving toward the southwest at 3 mph. A slow southwest movement is expected for around another 12 hours, then a sharp turn back to the north. Leslie’s minimum central pressure is currently 986 mb.

There are no other named storms at this time, but there is one area showing minimal signs of development in the southwest Caribbean Sea. A broad area of low pressure north of Panama is drifting northward, but it likely will enter an unfavorable environment for intensification due to strong upper level winds. We will be keeping an eye on it.

Michael is the next name on the list for this year.

Hurricane season runs through November 30.