Depression forms in Atlantic, and it’s forecast to turn into Tropical Storm Fiona soon
A new tropical depression formed Wednesday morning east of the Leeward Islands in the Atlantic, and it’s expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Fiona in the next 24 hours.
The forecast shows it turning into the sixth named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season by Wednesday night or Thursday. The National Hurricane Center says tropical storm watches may be needed for portions of the Leeward Islands later Wednesday evening or overnight.
The hurricane center expects the system will move through the Leeward Islands on Friday. The Leeward Islands refers to a group of islands, including Anguilla, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy, that form the border of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic ocean.
“The system could move near or over portions of the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola this weekend and early next week, bringing heavy rainfall and some wind impacts to these areas, and interests there should monitor the progress of the depression,” the hurricane center said.
It’s too early to have a good sense of what Fiona might do after that. If it remains weak, like the surrounding pockets of dry air and nearby wind shear suggest could be the case, meteorologists say the storm is more likely to keep heading west. Stronger storms usually see more of a northwest curve, potentially into the southwest Atlantic.
The hurricane center said westerly shear should make it difficult for the system to maintain its closed circulation once it moves into the eastern Caribbean Sea. The forecast shows the storm weakening back into a depression by the time it starts interacting with Hispaniola, likely on Sunday or Monday.
As of Wednesday’s 5 p.m. advisory, Tropical Depression Seven was about 1200 miles east of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.
This story was originally published September 14, 2022 at 7:03 AM.
