MIAMI » The National Hurricane Center says Katia has regained hurricane status in the open Atlantic.

Hurricane specialist Robbie Berg told The Associated Press by telephone Sunday that Katia has cycled on and off between tropical storm and hurricane status while moving across the open Atlantic. He says the storm strengthened recently and now has maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph, the lowest-level Category 1 storm.

At 5 a.m. EDT Sunday, Katia’s center was about 370 miles (600 kms) northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands and it was moving 12 mph toward the northwest.

Berg says Katia poses no threat to land over the next 48 hours, but he urged those on the East Coast and in Bermuda to remain watchful but not be alarmed.