Image provided by the NOAA is a false-color satellite view of Hurricane Bertha (R), the first hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic season, 07 Jul 2008

U.S. weather forecasters say Tropical Storm Bertha has strengthened into the first hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic season.

Hurricane Bertha is moving across the waters of the central tropical Atlantic Ocean.

Forecasters said Monday it is too early to determine if Bertha poses a threat to any land areas.

As of this Monday morning, Bertha had maximum sustained winds of nearly 120 kilometers-per-hour.  Forecasters say some additional strengthening is expected during the next few days.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.