At 8 p.m. EDT the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the center of Hanna was about 140 miles north-northwest of Grand Turk Island. The storm was moving toward the west at about 9 mph and had maximum sustained winds of almost 45 mph with higher gusts.

Forecasters said the storm was likely to continue toward the west Sunday night with a decrease in forward speed and then turn toward the southwest Tuesday. Hanna was expected gradually to approach the southern and central Bahamas during the first part of the week.

No decrease in strength was expected Sunday night and Monday.

While Hanna appeared unlikely to reach the U.S. coast, forecasters said swells generated by the storm could create dangerous rip currents on some southeastern U.S. beaches.