Tropical Storm Fiona Forms in Atlantic

TAMPA BAY, FL — Tropical Storm Fiona has officially become the sixth named storm of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Located about 920 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands, the storm was moving northwest at 16 mph as of Wednesday afternoon.

Fiona is expected to remain on a course that will take it southeast of Bermuda by Monday afternoon. As of Wednesday, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

Just as forecasters upgraded Fiona to a tropical storm, they also began reporting on a disturbance located off the coast of Africa. As of Wednesday afternoon, the tropical wave had been given a 20 percent chance of forming more over the next five days. Forecasters say conditions may be conducive for slow development early next week. The system is expected to move generally westward over the next few days.

While it’s still too early to tell for certain, Tropical Storm Fiona doesn’t appear as if she’ll impact Florida or the Tampa Bay area. It’s also too early to tell if she’ll continue on a path that might bring her in contact with the Eastern Seaboard at all.

It is also too early to tell if the tropical wave off Africa will develop into a threat over the coming days. If it does, it would become the seventh named storm of the season. Its name would be Gaston.

The development of both storms comes on the heels of revised predictions for the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Forecasters at NOAA say there’s a 70 percent chance of 12 to 17 named storms forming this year with two to four major hurricanes possible this season, which ends on Nov. 30.

The initial outlook called for 10 to 16 named storms, four to eight hurricanes, and one to four major hurricanes. The seasonal averages are 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

As the season continues, emergency planners urge residents in coastal areas to be prepared for whatever the weather dishes out.

To find out more about hurricane season and storm preparation, read these related Patch stories:

• Hurricane Season 2016: Where To Find Local Information
• 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Released
• Hurricane Season: How to Prepare
• 2016 Hurricane Names: Is Yours On the List?
• Tampa Bay 'Ripe for Disaster,' Hurricane Experts Say

To keep up with storm activity as the season develops, bookmark the National Hurricane Center’s website and keep an eye on your hometown Patch site for local information.

Image courtesy of the National Hurricane Center