Are we done?

It has certainly been a quiet past few weeks out in the Atlantic basin, as far as tropical cyclone activity is concerned. The National Hurricane Center, however, is watching a new disturbance over by the Cape Verdes. Nothing to be wary about just yet, though. We'll let you know.

Remnants of Fred

In its 8 p.m. advisory, the National Hurricane Center said conditions could prompt the remnants of Hurricane Fred to redevelop. Showers and thunderstorms associated with his remains, which increased in intensity this morning, were about 900 miles east of the Northern Leeward Islands. There is currently a less than 30 percent of the system becoming a tropical cyclone over the next 48 hours.

Fred weakens

Hurricane Fred has weakened to a Category 1 storm far off in the Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center said in its 5 p.m. advisory.

Maximum sustained winds were near 90 mph.

Fred, about 740 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands and slowing down as it drifts north near 5 mph, is forecast to diminish to a tropical storm by Saturday.

Fred update

The latest advisory on Fred from the National Hurricane Center:


...FRED OVER THE FAR EASTERN ATLANTIC WITH 100 MPH WINDS...

AT 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FRED WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 16.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 35.1 WEST OR ABOUT 740 MILES...
1185 KM...WEST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS.

FRED IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH...11 KM/HR. FRED IS
FORECAST TO SLOW DOWN AND ONLY A SMALL NORTHWARD DRIFT IS EXPECTED
DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 100 MPH...160
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING
THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES...45 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115
MILES...185 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 974 MB...28.76 INCHES.

Fred's a hurricane

With its 11 p.m. advisory, the National Hurricane Center announced Fred has developed into a hurricane with winds of 75 mph.

Fred is the second named hurricane of the season.

Fred is good-looking storm on satellite images, sitting about 445 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, but forecasters expect him to weaken beginning Thursday.

-- News Editor Brent Conklin

Fred

With winds up to 65 mph, Fred is expected to be a hurricane soon.

T.D. 7

Tropical Depression No. 7 of the season has formed FAR out in the Atlantic, south of the Cape Verde Islands. The forecast has this system becoming Tropical Storm Fred over the next 24 hours. The cone track has this storm turning north mid-week, remaining closer to Africa than the United States.