Tropical Storm Grace grows stronger in Atlantic as Fred weakens
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Tropical Storm Grace formed Saturday morning in the Atlantic Ocean and grew stronger, while Fred weakened into a tropical wave as it headed into the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Both systems were expected to bring heavy rain and flooding. Fred, which was once a tropical storm, could regain such strength Sunday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
The center said in its 5 p.m. EDT advisory that Grace was centered about 55 miles east-southeast of Guadeloupe. It was moving west at 26 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, down from 45 mph earlier in the day.
A tropical storm warning was issued for the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. A tropical storm watch was in effect for the Dominican Republic, which forecasters said Grace could reach by Monday.
Grace was forecast to bring 3 to 6 inches of rain to the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico into Monday. The current forecast has Grace approaching South Florida as a tropical storm by midweek.
Meanwhile, Fred was downgraded to a tropical wave with top winds around 35 mph. Tropical waves can contain winds and heavy rain, but do not circulate around a center point or an “eye” that a tropical storm or hurricane has. Forecasters said Fred appeared “disorganized” and they projected it would pass west of the lower Florida Keys and then move into the eastern Gulf of Mexico. At 5 p.m. EDT, Fred was 150 miles west-northwest of Havana and moving west-northwest at 13 mph. It had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. Forecasters believe the system will regenerate into a tropical storm on Sunday as it moves toward the northern Gulf Coast.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the state’s Panhandle region. Fred is expected to bring heavy rain to the Southeastern U.S. by Monday. It is not projected to reach hurricane strength.
A tropical storm warning that has been in effect for the Florida Keys has been canceled.