MIAMI (AP) — The National Hurricane Center says Laura has formed over the north central Atlantic as the 11th named storm of the season.

The storm was centered about 695 miles south-southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, at 11 a.m. EDT Monday and moving west-northwest near 8 mph early Monday.

Laura's maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph. Some strengthening is forecast during the next day or two.

But the hurricane center says Laura is not expected to affect any land areas and will only be a threat to shipping interests in the far north Atlantic.

Laura is a subtropical storm, which forecasters say is different from a tropical storm but can still turn into a hurricane.

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