Tropical Storm Igor nears hurricane strength as it swirls over open Atlantic

Tropical Storm Igor nears hurricane strength

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Igor is nearing hurricane strength as it swirls over the open Atlantic Ocean.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm is likely to become a hurricane late Saturday or early Sunday.

Igor remains far from land and was about 1,140 miles (1,840 kilometers) west of the Cape Verde Islands Saturday afternoon.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds were near 70 mph (110 kph). It was moving to the west at 18 mph (30 kph).