MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Harvey gained strength as it moved away from Bermuda today after it soaked the mid-Atlantic British colony but caused little disruption.

Harvey, the eighth tropical storm in a busy hurricane season, posed a threat only to ships as it moved toward the east-northeast over the open Atlantic Ocean.

Its sustained winds climbed to 65 mph and forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center said it could gain a bit more strength in the next day.

The storm left Bermuda virtually unscathed, although several flights were canceled and the government halted ferries and restricted bus service on the island of 62,000 people.

At 10 a.m. CDT, Harvey's center was about 100 miles east of Bermuda and moving to the east-northeast at about 14 mph, the hurricane center said.

The storm passed about 30 miles to the south of the island at its closest approach.

Never in more than 150 years of record-keeping had the Atlantic hurricane season produced eight storms this early. Half of the June-to-November hurricane seasons since 1851 did not produce eight storms.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this week raised its forecast for the year, predicting up to 21 tropical storms, with as many as 11 reaching hurricane strength.

An average hurricane season has 10 tropical storms, with six becoming hurricanes and two strengthening into major hurricanes.