Maria growing in Atlantic, but is no threat yet

MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Maria is gathering energy from warm ocean, but it remains over the open sea and poses no immediate threat to land, forecasters say.

The National Hurricane Center said Maria could become a hurricane by today.

At 5 p.m. EDT, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour. It was centered 760 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and about 740 miles southeast of Bermuda.

Forecasters say Maria is moving northwest at 16 miles per hour, a track that could take it east of Bermuda. Maria would be the season's fifth hurricane if its sustained wind speed reaches 74 miles per hour.

Maria is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Only about four or five named storms form by this time of year, according to the hurricane center.