season, packing 100-knot winds and gusts of up to 120 knots.

Last night Bonnie was lying 711 nautical miles south of Bermuda at latitude 20.6 north and longitude 66.7 west, moving in a west northwesterly direction at about 15 knots. It is not expected to be a threat to Bermuda.

The storm was expected to reach its closest point to Bermuda, 702 nautical miles south southwest, at 1 a.m. this morning with winds at about 55 knots.

Bonnie was north of Puerto Rico yesterday afternoon with top winds at about 65 mph. The storm's course could take it near the Bahamas, then toward the US.

Forecasters expected Bonnie to become the season's first hurricane by today. A storm is upgraded to a hurricane when sustained winds exceed 74 mph.