Tropical Storm Jose brushes past Bermuda

Bermuda: Tropical Storm Jose spun just to the west of Bermuda on Sunday, buffeting the wealthy British territory with gusty winds and intermittent showers before heading out into the open Atlantic.

The 10th named storm of the season passed about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Bermuda with sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph), causing some storm surge in western parts of the isolated island chain. There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries, and a tropical storm warning was lifted on Sunday night.

"The tropical storm-force winds are limited to our western marine area. They aren't actually reaching the island," meteorologist Ken Smith of the Bermuda Weather Service said earlier in the day.

The US National Hurricane Center in Miami said that Jose was moving north at about 20 mph (31 kph) on Sunday night.

Intermittent showers mixed with sunshine in Bermuda, which lies about 580 miles (933 kilometers) east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, already battered by Hurricane Irene. Many islanders headed to church in their Sunday best.

A street market popular with tourists was canceled on St George's, but most Sunday events went on normally.

Forecasts had said that Jose, which formed early on Sunday, could drop up to 3 inches (8 centimeters) of rain on Bermuda, but there were no sustained downpours reported in the territory.

Jose was moving north at about 20 mph (31 kph) on Sunday night, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, said.

US meteorologist Jeff Masters, who writes a popular weather blog, said Tropical Storm Jose would not survive long due to strong upper-level wind shear from Irene, which swirled over northern New England toward Canada on Sunday night after weakening to a tropical storm from a once-powerful hurricane.

Smith said Jose was expected to weaken into a tropical depression on Monday and later dissipate.

Earlier this month, Tropical Storm Gert skirted past Bermuda, kicking up choppy seas along the island chain's coast but passing well east of the tiny British archipelago. It caused no serious damage.

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