Tropical Storm Fiona has officially formed in the Atlantic, becoming the sixth named system of the season.
As of 11 p.m. the storm was 650 miles east of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
The center of the storm is forecast to move through the Leeward Islands late Friday and Friday night, and be near the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, and Anguilla.
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Fiona is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 3 to 5 inches with maximum totals of 8 inches across the northern Leeward Islands, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and eastern Hispaniola.
These rains may produce isolated flash and urban flooding, along with isolated mudslides in areas of higher terrain.
2022 Hurricane Season
The last named system, Earl, became a Category 2 hurricane before dying out over the northern Atlantic last weekend.
Earl and the system before it, Hurricane Danielle, formed after just three other named storms formed in the first three months of this year’s season - far below the active seasons of the past several years.
