Tropical storm Florence was upgraded to hurricane strength last night and while considered a potential threat to Bermuda, she is not expected to hit.

Ken Smith, a meteorologist at the Bermuda Weather Service last night told The Royal Gazette Florence was not likely to be felt in Bermuda at all.

In an advisory from the Weather Service last night, the hurricane was expected to make its closest point of approach to Bermuda on Friday at 3 p.m.

Forecasters predict that she will be 276.14 miles (243 nautical miles) away from the Island by then.

According to Mr. Smith, that distance would place her too far away to be felt.

"We might see some increasing swell,'' he said. "But really, unless we were inside a 125-mile radius, there will be no effect.'' Mr. Smith said residents might not even see any rain or increased winds, despite Florence churning in the vicinity.

At last report, Florence was packing winds of 65 knots with gusts up to 80 knots. She was travelling northwest at three knots with a central pressure of 987 millibars.

Mr. Smith said Florence is not expected to make landfall within the next 72 hours.

Florence, the third hurricane of the six-month Atlantic storm season, could strengthen slightly in the next day, forecasters in Miami said last night.

"The US coast is looking fine,'' hurricane forecaster John Pavon said.

"People should watch it, but should not be overly concerned.'' Florence is the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. So far none have hit Bermuda or the US mainland, while Caribbean islands have suffered only minimal damage.