Gonzalo to strengthen but unlikely to hit U.S. mainland: NHC

(Reuters) - Tropical storm Gonzalo is expected to strengthen while it moves through the Leeward Islands tonight and early Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory on Sunday. The storm, with sustained winds of 45 miles per hour (75 km per hour), was located about 110 miles (180 km) east southeast of the Antigua, and was moving toward the west at near 12 miles per hour (19 km per hour). Tropical storm warnings were issued for the Lesser Antilles, including Guadeloupe, St Maarten/St Martin, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, and Montserrat. A Hurricane watch has been issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area in the next 36 hours and a tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area in this case within the next 12 to 24 hours. "Swells generated by Gonzalo will affect the Leeward Islands tonight and Monday morning and reach the U.S. and British Virgin Islands by Monday afternoon. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf," the Miami based weather forecaster said. Most forecasts show Gonzalo not making landfall in the mainland United States and spinning away in a northerly direction over the Atlantic after leaving Puerto Rico. (Reporting by Anupam Chatterjee in Bangalore; Editing by Michael Perry)