Hurricane Jose's center seen staying off U.S. East Coast

Hurricane Jose's center should pass well east of the North Carolina coast on Monday and remain offshore from Virginia to New England, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in a forecast on Saturday.

"However, an increase in the size of the storm or a westward adjustment in the track forecast could bring tropical storm conditions closer to the Outer Banks" of North Carolina, the forecaster said.

As a large cyclone, Jose could also affect the Virginia-to-New-England area, especially if it deviates from its forecast track, the NHC said.

At 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT), the NHC said the storm was generating swells affecting Bermuda, the Bahamas, the northern coasts of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, and much of the U.S. East Coast.

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It said the swells are likely to cause dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents for several days in these areas.

It was moving northward at 6 miles (9.66 km) per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles (128.75 km) per hour. (Writing by Lisa Von Ahn and Diane Craft, Editing by Franklin Paul)