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Tropical Storm Fiona develops in eastern Atlantic
A look at the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane season. Wochit
The sixth named storm of Atlantic hurricane season, Fiona, developed late this afternoon in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
The storm doesn't pose a threat to land yet, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Hurricane Center in Miami. Fiona is about 850 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, which are about 350 miles off the coast of Africa.
Forecasts through Monday show that the storm is projected to move west-northwest toward the central Atlantic Ocean, according to the hurricane center. It's too early to determine the storm's path after Monday.
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- Alex was a hurricane in January that stayed at sea.
- Bonnie was a tropical storm that hit South Carolina on Memorial Day weekend.
- Colin was a tropical storm that hit the eastern part of the Florida panhandle and the eastern Gulf coast on June 6.
- Danielle was a tropical storm that hit Mexico on June 20.
- Earl was a Category 1 hurricane that hit Belize on Aug. 4, and then hit Mexico as a tropical storm.
A tropical storm is the stage just before a hurricane develops. Sustained winds associated with the storm, which are currently 40 mph at the storm's center, would need to be 65 mph to be categorized as a hurricane.
CLIMATE: How hot and rainy was July?
"The storm poses no threat to the Caribbean or any land at all through at least Monday, and likely well beyond," said New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson. "At this point, it's uncertain, but storms taking this initial track oftentimes just head right up through the North Atlantic. Maybe the greatest threat will turn out to be Newfoundland.
"As usual, people need to keep an eye on it," he said.
Storms expected in 2016 (NOAA):
- 12-17 named storms
- 5-8 hurricanes
- 2-4 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5 with winds 111 mph or more)
WEATHER OUTLOOK: Heat is here to stay through August
Kala Kachmar: 732-643-4061; email@example.com.