Storm now a category 2

Miami, Florida — The Associated Press is reporting Hurricane Ophelia is rapidly gaining strength and is expected to pass east of Bermuda.

At 5 a.m. EDT, Ophelia had become a Category 2 storm, with winds approaching 100 mph (161 kph). The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the center of Ophelia was about 695 miles south-southeast of Bermuda, and was moving north-northwest at about 9 mph.

The storm reached hurricane strength Thursday afternoon. It is the fourth hurricane of the season.