(RNN) – Helene, one of three named storms moving through the Atlantic, became a hurricane Sunday afternoon.
The National Hurricane Center announced the update around 5 p.m., saying the storm was about 145 miles off Cabo Verde, an archipelago nation near the African coast.
Helene is moving westward at 13 mph, packing maximum-sustained winds of 75 mph. It's expected to turn toward the west-northwest on Monday, and to continue moving in that direction through Tuesday.
It's forecast to strengthen in the next 48 hours.
Tropical Storm Isaac is "almost a hurricane," the NHC said late Sunday afternoon.
It's about 1,390 miles east of the Windward Islands, which are in the West Indies.
Isaac is moving westward at 12 mph, with maximum-sustained winds of 70 mph. It's expected to move into the eastern Caribbean Wednesday night or Thursday.
"Interests in the Lesser Antilles should monitor the progress of Isaac," the NHC said.
It could be upgraded from a tropical storm to a hurricane Sunday night, but it's expected to start weakening by the middle of next week.
Another named storm in the Atlantic, Hurricane Florence, poses an immediate danger to parts of the U.S.
It's 720 miles southeast of Bermuda, moving at 7 mph, with maximum-sustained winds of 85 mph – and it's strengthening as it heads toward the East Coast.
The NHC predicts it could become "a major hurricane on Monday."
"On the forecast track, the center of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas Tuesday and Wednesday, and approach the southeastern coast of the United States on Thursday," the NHC said Sunday afternoon.
It's expected to rapidly strengthen, and could "remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane through Thursday."
North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia have declared states of emergency in preparation for the potential impact of Florence.
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