BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Aug 27, CMC – Tropical Storm Gaston is expected to strengthen and become a hurricane later on Saturday, the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC) has said.

It said that the storm, which is located at 820 miles east-south-east of Bermuda had maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour (mph).

In its latest weather bulletin, the NHC said that the center of Tropical Storm Gaston was located near latitude 27.9 North, longitude 52.0 West.

“Gaston is moving toward the northwest near 15 mph.  A north westward heading with a decrease in forward speed is expected during the next couple of days,” NHC said, adding that “strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Gaston is expected to become a hurricane by tonight”.

The NHC said that tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles from the center and that a next advisory will be issued at 11.00 am (local time).