Hurricane Leslie strongest storm in 176 years barrelling towards Portugal

Hurricane Leslie, which is the strongest storm in 176 years is moving towards Portugal. 

The government of Portugal has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Madeira Island.

However, Leslie is forecast to weaken slightly as it moves east toward the Iberian Peninsula on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. 

The Category 1 hurricane is expected to produce dangerous winds, surf and heavy rainfall in Portugal and Spain on Saturday night and Sunday, the center said. 

Leslie was located 580 miles (935 km) east of the Azores as it produced maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, the NHC said. 

The storm is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone and dissipate by Sunday night or Monday. 

Earlier on Friday, Leslie was moving quickly toward the eastern Atlantic Ocean and was forecast to weaken by Friday night, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) had said on Thursday.

As of Friday, hurricane Leslie was located about 780 miles (1,255 kilometres) southwest of the Azores, packing maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour (140 km/h), the Miami-based weather forecaster said. 

"Leslie is forecast to slow down and turn toward the east or east-southeast by Saturday. On the forecast track, Leslie will pass near Madeira Island by late Saturday," the NHC said.

The government of Portugal has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Madeira Island, it added.

(With Reuters Inputs)