A tropical depression west of Bermuda has strengthened into the third named storm of the season.

Tropical Storm Chris is forecast to come within 420 miles to the northwest of Bermuda at 6am on Wednesday, its closest point within the next 72 hours. The Bermuda Weather Service warned it may move closer after that, depending upon its track.

The BWS said no significant impact is currently expected for the island, except for some swell and showers towards midweek.

Chris has the potential to strengthen into a hurricane because of warm sea surface temperatures and favourable winds, but the BWS said at 6am today: “Fortunately, the broad high pressure ridging will keep the storm at a safe berth from the island, thus making the only potential impacts of this system being shower activity and large long period swell.”

At 6am, Chris was 623 miles west of Bermuda, with winds of about 40mph and higher gusts.

Tropical Storm Beryl, downgraded from a category one hurricane, remains on a slow course towards the Lesser Antilles.

At 6am, Beryl was about 1,400 miles south-southeast of Bermuda. Winds have decreased to about 46mph.

The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, spared Bermuda last year, but battered the Caribbean as well as the United States.

Recovery efforts are still under way in islands across the Caribbean, and an above-average season is expected again this year with seas warmer than usual.