HURRICANE GASTON PROMPTS STORM WATCH FOR AZORES

Hurricane Gaston in the central Atlantic has prompted a tropical storm watch for the western and central Azores, which could see tropical storm conditions on Friday. Gaston was a category 2 storm with winds of 105 mph late Wednesday, but is projected to weaken into a tropical storm by the time its centre reaches the western Azores. Earlier this week Gaston became the first major hurricane so far in the 2016 Atlantic season, when it reached category 3 intensity. Until now, the storm has not posed any threat to land. Elsewhere, tropical depression 8 has moved further to the northeast away from the US east coast into the Atlantic. Forecasters said that it may attain tropical storm strength on Thursday but will continue to move to the northeast and pose no threat to land. The depression had earlier prompted a tropical storm watch for parts of North Carolina.