Tropical Storm Fred has developed late Tuesday and is expected to bring heavy rain and gusty winds to Puerto Rico.
The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center has Fred with winds of 40 mph about 45 miles southwest of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The potential system was moving to the west at 17 mph.
A tropical storm warning remained in effect for Puerto Rico, including Culebra and Vieques, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic on the south coast from Punta Palenque eastward and on the north coast from Cabo Frances Viejo eastward.
A tropical storm watch was issued for the Dominican Republic on the north coast from Cabo Frances Viejo to the Dominican Republic/Haiti border, and Haiti from the northern border with the Dominican Republic to Gonaives, Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas.
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On the forecast track, Fred is expected to pass near the southern coast of Puerto Rico tonight and early Wednesday, be near or over Hispaniola on Wednesday, and be near the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands on Thursday.
Between two and six inches of rain could fall across the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico before reaching the Dominican Republic. Forecasts show the system could skirt over the northern coast of Cuba before a possible move around the west coast of Florida.
However, land interaction and dry air surrounding the system may prove disruptive Wednesday and Thursday.
Local
As of Tuesday night, all of South Florida and the Florida Keys remained in the system's cone of concern.
South Florida should continue to monitor the forecast for any anticipated impacts Friday night through Sunday.
Reconnaissance aircraft, currently flying out of the Homestead Air Reserve base, will periodically survey the storm collecting data.
