Despite looking disorganized on satellite, Tropical Depression Fred may strengthen back into a tropical storm before impacting Florida as soon as early Saturday, the National Hurricane Center predicts.
At the 11:00 a.m update from the National Hurricane Center, Fred was slowly moving along the northern coast of Cuba, about 270 miles (430 kilometers) southeast of Key West, Florida.
With sustained maximum winds of 35 mph (55 kph), Tropical Depression Fred is moving to the west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph).
While the storm will continue its current track today, it is expected to turn toward the northwest tonight or Saturday. Fred will move along or close to the northern coast of central Cuba through tonight and be near the Florida Keys on Saturday.
After passing the Keys, it should move into the Gulf of Mexico and toward Florida’s Big Bend. Some computer models show Fred moving into the Florida Peninsula, while others put it as far west as the Alabama-Florida border.
The forecast prompted tropical storm warnings Friday for the southwest Florida coast, including Key West and Naples. A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
Forecasters are also watching Potential Tropical Cyclone 7 in the Atlantic. The NHC says conditions are expected to become gradually more conducive for development and a tropical storm is likely to form over the weekend.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the Leeward Islands by late Saturday and will spread west to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by Sunday and Sunday night.
