Hermine spares much of U.S. East Coast, lingering well offshore

By Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) - Atlantic storm Hermine drifted north on Monday off the U.S. East Coast, still packing near-hurricane strength winds but far enough from land to spare the Middle Atlantic states. On Cape Cod and its offshore islands, high surf and wind put a crimp in the holiday plans of many people looking to celebrate summer's end, but beaches farther south reopened. Hermine, classified as a Category 1 hurricane when it slammed into Florida's Gulf Coast early on Friday, became a post-tropical storm by week's end after its winds dropped below 74 mph and it lost its tropical characteristics.

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