Hurricane Chris weakens but still speeding

Hurricane Chris is weakening but moving faster at 25 mph and is expected to continue picking up speed for several days, the National Hurricane Center.

The center has downgraded Chris to a Category 1 storm. Maximum sustained winds have lowered to 90 mph, and the storm was not expected to gain strength the rest of Wednesday.

Some weakening is forecast for Thursday, when Chris will probably become a strong post-tropical cyclone.

The system is expected to bring swells on the coasts of North Carolina and the mid-Atlantic states.

"These swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions," the National Hurricane Center said.

As of 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, the storm was about 570 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Forecasters also expect Chris to produce 1 to 3 inches of rain over Newfoundland. Its center will be near southeastern Newfoundland on Thursday night.

Hurricane-force winds extend up to 25 miles from the center of the storm, and tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 90 miles out, the hurricane center said.

The storm will continue to move to the northeast and is expected to remain well offshore of the United States.

There were no coastal watches or warnings as of 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, but the National Hurricane Center suggested people in Atlantic Canada monitor the storm's progress.