Tropical Storm Ophelia loses some of its steam

Tropical Storm Ophelia weakened late Thursday as it continued its trek across the central Atlantic, forecasters said. The system could degenerate further during the next 48 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center. Ophelia had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph late Thursday night, with gusts of up to 65 mph, the center said. The storm was about 820 miles east-southeast of the Leeward Islands and was moving west at 12 mph, forecasters said. The five-day forecast map shows the system staying north of the Caribbean.