Category 1 hurricane moves quickly toward eastern Atlantic Ocean forecast to weaken by Friday night

Leslie, a Category 1 hurricane, is moving quickly toward the eastern Atlantic Ocean but is forecast to weaken by Friday night, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Thursday.

Hurricane Leslie is 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 inputs from agencies.)