Tropical Storm Grace Forms in the Atlantic

As Fred continues to weaken, there’s a new tropical cyclone on the Atlantic scene.

Tropical Storm Grace has officially formed in the Atlantic. As of the National Hurricane Center’s 5 p.m. update, the storm was located about 285 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. Grace had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west at 14 mph.

The storm’s westward movement is anticipated to continue for the next couple days, forecasters say.

“Some additional strengthening is expected during the next day or so, with weakening possible by Monday,” the 5 p.m. update stated.

Should Grace continue on her projected path, the storm would be located east of Puerto Rico by Thursday afternoon. It’s still too early to tell what her path might be after that and if she will strengthen to become the season’s third hurricane.

Meanwhile, Fred has once again been downgraded to a depression. That storm was located about 1,340 miles southwest of the Azores and was moving northwest at 6 mph as of the hurricane center’s 5 p.m. update. Fred is expected to take a northeastern turn over the next few days.

While Fred continues to spin in the Atlantic and Grace makes her way west, neither storm poses an immediate threat to the United States. Forecasters, however, are continuing to monitor progress.

Tropical weather aside, Tampa Bay area residents are in for a few days of rain. Forecasters at the National Weather Service anticipate a 60 percent chance of storms on Sunday and a 50 percent chance on Labor Day Monday.

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Graphic courtesy of the National Hurricane Center