MIAMI – Tropical Storm Fred officially became the sixth named storm of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season late Tuesday night as it strengthened and became better organized while moving south of Puerto Rico. The center of Fred is now just south of the eastern Dominican Republic.
In the National Hurricane Center’s 8 a.m. advisory Wednesday, Tropical Storm Fred was located about 50 miles southeast of Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.
It was moving west-northwest at 16 mph.
“Tropical Storm conditions are expected to begin in portions of the Dominican Republic this morning. Tropical storm conditions are possible in northern Haiti and the southeastern Bahamas by late today,” the Hurricane Center wrote at 8 a.m.
The track still has Fred approaching Florida this weekend.
Watch more analysis from Meteorologist Julie Durda in the video at the top of this page.
“Some weakening is likely while the system interacts with Hispaniola on Wednesday,” NHC forecasters say.
Local 10 News Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross says that whether the system’s core crosses the most mountainous portions of the Dominican Republic on Wednesday could determine how strong the storm remains after that.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
- Dominican Republic on the south coast from Punta Palenque eastward and on the north coast from Cabo Frances Viejo eastward
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:
- Dominican Republic on the north coast from Cabo Frances Viejo to the Dominican Republic/Haiti border
- Haiti from the northern border with the Dominican Republic to Gonaives
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Southeastern Bahamas
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area.
The system is expected to produce rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches over the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, with up to 6 inches in some areas. The rainfall could lead to flash, urban, and small-stream flooding and potential mudslides across the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
“The greatest threat for flooding impacts will be across eastern and southern Puerto Rico,” the NHC reported.
It has been more than a month since this year’s fifth named storm — Hurricane Elsa — formed.
For the latest South Florida radar and forecast information, click here.