Tropical Storm Fred Forms in Eastern Atlantic

The National Hurricane Center in Miami is tracking the season’s latest potential cyclone, Fred, which Has strengthened into a tropical storm over the “far eastern tropical Atlantic.”

The NHC’s 5:00 a.m. AST bulletin place Fred’s center about 285 miles, 460 kms, southwest of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands. The storm is “moving toward the west near 15 mph, 24 km/hr,” said the NHC. “A gradual turn toward the west-northwest and northwest with a decrease in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days.”

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph, 85 km/hr, with higher gusts, and some additional strengthening is forecast. Fred could become a hurricane over the next couple of days. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 mb, 29.53 inches.

The NHC’s 5-day forecast track, indicates that Fred is on a more northerly course than Hurricane Bill or tropical storm Erika. If Fred stays on that trajectory, it would pose more of a threat to Europe than the Caribbean or the U.S.

Source: National Hurricane Center – www.nhc.noaa.gov