Tropical Storm Kate gathered strength in the Atlantic Tuesday, but was moving too far from land to pose a threat after raking the Bahamas, US weather forecasters said.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said the storm was packing 70-mile (110-kilometer)-an-hour winds and could reach hurricane strength before the day is out.

"On the forecast track, the center of Kate is expected to remain well offshore of the east coast of the United States and pass north of Bermuda tonight and early Wednesday," the center said.

At 1500 GMT, the storm was 350 miles (560 kilometers) southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and was expected to turn toward the northeast.

Still, the NHC warned the storm could generate swells that cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions in Bermuda.

Meanwhile, storm warnings were lifted in the Bahamas after Kate passed through the central and northwestern parts of the island chain on Monday.

The Bahamas were punished in early October by Hurricane Joaquin, which reached Category 4 status on the five point Saffir-Simpson scale.

Besides wreaking extensive damage in the islands, the hurricane resulted in the sinking of a cargo ship, El Faro, with all 33 crew members aboard.

Joaquin was the third and most powerful hurricane of the current season, which lasts until the end of the month. Kate is the season's 11th named storm.