At 0000 GMT, Shary was 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Bermuda, packing winds of of 110 kilometers (70 miles) per hour, the NHC said.

The storm was moving towards the northeast at 26 kilometers (16 miles) per hour and was forecast to pass late Friday just east of Bermuda, where officials have issued storm warnings.

"Little change in strength is expected tonight... And weakening is expected to commence on Saturday as the system transitions to an extratropical low," the NHC said.

Separately, Tropical Storm Tomas churned up winds of 95 kilometers (60 miles) per hour in its location 270 kilometers (179 miles) southeast of Barbados, the Miami-based NHC said.

Tomas was heading in a northwesterly direction at 24 kilometers (15 miles) per hour and was expected to pass through the central Windward Islands Saturday afternoon, the center said.

"Strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours... and Tomas could become a hurricane by late Saturday," it added.

Tropical storm warnings have been issued from Trinidad and Tobago to Martinique and St. Lucia, while Dominica was under a tropical storm watch.

The water-logged Caribbean basin has endured a heavy 2010 storm season. The ground is saturated with moisture in many areas, and more rain could easily trigger landslides and flooding.

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