Ophelia a dangerous Category 3 hurricane

MIAMI - October 2, 2011 (WPVI) -- Forecasters say Ophelia has weakened from a powerful Category 4 hurricane to a still-dangerous Category 3 storm while heading northward toward Newfoundland, Canada.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 8 a.m. EDT Sunday that Ophelia's top sustained winds remained about 125 mph (205 kph) and the storm was moving north-northeast at 30 mph (48 kph).

Ophelia was centered about 760 miles (1,220 kilometers) southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland, and a tropical storm watch was in effect for Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula. The center says Ophelia is expected to weaken steadily but still be near hurricane strength when it passes close to the peninsula Monday.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Philippe was turning more westward far out over the central Atlantic away from land.

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hurricanes and tropical storms, severe weather, national/world

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