(Reuters) - Tropical storm Gert, located about 485 miles (785 km) west-southwest of Bermuda, could strengthen into a hurricane by Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

The storm was becoming better organized over the western Atlantic and packing maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour (75 km/h), the NHC said.

Gert is moving north-northwestward and is expected to be about midway between Bermuda and North Carolina on Tuesday, the Miami-based weather forecaster added.