HAMILTON, Bermuda (AP) — Tropical Storm Leslie moved slowly northward Saturday after pausing to spin in place over the Atlantic, and forecasters expected it would regain strength and become a hurricane before passing to the east of Bermuda.

The latest forecasts pointed to the storm going by about 200 miles (320 kilometers) east-southeast of the British territory Sunday afternoon or evening as a Category 1 hurricane, the Bermuda Weather Service said.

"It appears that Bermuda will be spared a direct impact," Wayne Perinchief, the national security minister, said Friday. "However, I urge the public to remain cautious as there is the potential for the storm to re-intensify and change track, and we could experience heavy rain and winds in shower bands."