Hurricane Teddy strengthened to a powerful Category 4 storm Thursday evening, as Tropical Depression 22 formed over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.
The system had winds of 140 mph as of Thursday, while moving northwest at 13 mph about 575 miles from the Lesser Antilles, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Teddy was expected to strengthen more Thursday night. No coastal watches or warnings in effect, large swells generated by Teddy are reaching the Lesser Antilles and the northeastern coast of South America and should spread to the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, Bermuda and the East Coast of the United States by the weekend.
Tropical Depression 22 had winds of 35 mph and was moving northeast at 5 mph about 230 miles east of Tampico, Mexico. It's expected to become a tropical storm by Friday.
Meanwhile, Vicky weakened to a remnant low Thursday.
Two other systems could become named storms in the next five days, with one in the northern Atlantic Ocean having a 30% chance and one off the coast of Africa with a 50% chance, which is lower than what forecasters initially said.
