Mexico City  - Hurricane Bill continued its path across the western Atlantic Wednesday night.

It was moving a north-westerly direction 500 kilometres from the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean with wind speeds of up to 215 kilometres per hour (kph).

The US National Hurricane Center in Miami said Wednesday evening that the hurricane was moving at 28 kph.

Hurricane Bill developed in mid-Atlantic and is a category four hurricane on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale.

A further strengthening of the hurricane is possible, the National Hurricane Center said.

According to calculations by meteorologists, Bill should pass by the Antilles and later Bermuda at a safe distance.

It is thought likely that Bill will make landfall in eastern Canada.

Large swells associated with Bill should begin to affect part of the east coast of the US on Friday and Saturday, the latest report from Miami said.

Bill is the first hurricane in the Atlantic this year. Last year three hurricanes hit the Caribbean and caused severe damage in Haiti and Cuba. (dpa)