Meteorologists are keeping an eye on a newly formed tropical storm, which is expected to travel closer to Bermuda in the coming days.

The Bermuda Weather Service said this afternoon that Tropical Storm Humberto was not considered a threat, with its closest point of approach in the next 72 hours being just over 620 miles to the island’s south-southeast at 6pm on Sunday.

However, the storm could come closer to the island after that time.

As of 6pm, Humberto was still more than 1,000 miles southeast of Bermuda and moving west-northwest at about 15 miles per hour.

The storm is expected to strengthen and reach Category 1 strength by Saturday afternoon and Category 2 strength by Sunday afternoon.

The US-based National Hurricane Centre said in their 6pm update: “A west-northwest to northwest motion is expected over the next several days with a slower forward speed.

“Maximum sustained winds are near 40mph with higher gusts. Steady strengthening is forecast during the next several days.

“Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the centre.”

The NHC is also monitoring a weather system in the Eastern Caribbean Sea for possible storm development.

The “tropical wave” is expected to travel west-northwest over the next few days, where environmental conditions are forecast to be more conducive for development.

The NHC said there was a low chance of development over the next 48 hours, but an 80 per cent chance the system would become a tropical storm within seven days.