Leslie strengthens, John weakens

Tropical Storm Leslie strengthened Monday and was nearly stationary in the Atlantic Ocean but not threatening the United States, forecasters said. Leslie was 485 miles north of the Leeward Islands and 585 miles south of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 11 p.m. EDT advisory. Tropical storm-force winds extended 205 miles from the center of the storm. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. However, the hurricane center said swells generated by Leslie could affect portions of the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands for the next day, and could affect Bermuda and the east coast of the United States, from central Florida northward, for several days, with life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm John weakened to a tropical depression off the Pacific coast of Baja California, Mexico, the hurricane center said. John was 310 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California at 8 p.m. EDT with sustained winds of up to 35 mph. It was moving northwest at 13 mph. It was not considered a threat to land.