Isaac becomes hurricane in Atlantic

MIAMI, Sep 30 (Reuters) Tropical Storm Isaac became the fifth hurricane of the Atlantic season today but remained far out in the Atlantic Ocean and was no immediate threat to any land.

People in the Canadian maritime provinces of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland were warned to keep an eye on the storm, which was 370 miles (595 km) east-southeast of Bermuda at 11 a.m. 2030 hrs IST. It was moving toward the northwest at 11 km per hour, the U S National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Isaac's sustained winds increased to 120 kph, making it a Category 1 hurricane, the lowest rank on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity.

Its current track would take it well east of Bermuda, a British territory in the mid-Atlantic, tomorrow and off eastern Canada by Monday, the hurricane center said.

Forecasters said the storm could strengthen slightly in the next day.

The June 1-November 30 Atlantic hurricane season has been less active than expected. Only nine storms have formed so far and just five have grown to hurricane strength.

Forecasters had predicted an above-average season following last year's record-breaker, which saw 28 tropical storms, 15 of which became hurricanes. The average season has about 10 tropical storms, six of which develop into hurricanes.

The season has been milder than predicted partly due to the development of El Nino warm-water conditions in the eastern Pacific, which can dampen hurricane activity in the Atlantic.

Reuters SY DB2131