Tropical Storm Fred Strengthens on Path For Florida Gulf Coast While New Tropical Depression Forms Near Bermuda

Tropical Storm Fred is a lopsided storm with most of its worst weather east of its center.

As of 10PM CDT Sunday, August 15, 2021, Tropical Storm Fred was located about 200 miles south of Panama City and was tracking to the north-northwest at 9 mph.

Fred’s winds rose to 50 mph late Sunday.

Fred could strengthen more until it makes landfall, the hurricane center said, but it is not forecast to become a hurricane. Hurricane-force winds begin at 74 mph.

A storm surge warning was added on Sunday for Florida coastal areas. The hurricane center said 2 to 4 feet of surge will be possible in the warning area from Indian Pass to Yankeetown, with 1 to 3 feet possible elsewhere along the Florida Panhandle.

Fred will be a rainmaker more than anything for the Gulf Coast and well inland.

Fred could bring 4 to 8 inches of rain to the Big Bend area and the Panhandle of Florida, with isolated areas getting up to a foot.

South Alabama, as well as Georgia and the western Carolinas could get 3 to 6 inches with isolated totals of 9 inches.

Tropical storm conditions will be possible in the watch area starting late Monday morning.

Forecasters will also be on the lookout for tornadoes, which will be a concern for the west coast of Florida and near the coast on the Panhandle through early Monday morning.

Grace, meanwhile, was downgraded to a tropical depression on Sunday as it tracked south of Puerto Rico while bringing heavy rain to the island.

Grace appeared disorganized, the hurricane center said, and its winds dropped to 35 mph, according to the hurricane center. Little change in strength is anticipated during the next two to three days.

Those in the continental U.S. may have to keep an eye on Grace. The hurricane center’s long-range path takes Grace into the Gulf on Thursday. The forecast period ends on Friday with Grace in the middle of the Gulf as a tropical storm.

It’s too soon to say which part of the Gulf Coast will have to deal with Grace, which is forecast to restrengthen to a tropical storm this week.

As of 10 p.m. CDT, Tropical Depression Grace was located about 120 miles southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and was tracking to the west at 15 mph.

Tropical storm warnings have been dropped for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for the entire coast of the Dominican Republic and the entire coast of Haiti.

Forecasters said the center of Grace is expected to move over Hispaniola on Monday.

Grace could bring 3 to 6 inches of rain to the northern Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic could get 4 to 7 inches, which could lead to flash flooding and mudslides. It could also hinder rescue efforts in Haiti, which was hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on Saturday.

The hurricane center also has a new tropical depression on its hands as of late Sunday.

Tropical Depression Eight has formed and could become Tropical Storm Henri on Monday.

A tropical storm watch was issued for Bermuda, which could face tropical storm conditions on Tuesday.

As of 10 p.m. CDT, Tropical Depression Eight was located about 135 miles east-southeast of Bermuda and was moving south at 7 mph.

The depression had winds of 35 mph.

The hurricane center expects the storm to track east and south of Bermuda during the next few days.

August is leading up to the most active part of the Atlantic hurricane season, which has a climatological peak on Sept. 10.

The season ends on November 30.

– Courtesy AL.com