Story at a glance
- Tropical Storm Fred grew from a cyclone on Tuesday night.
- After passing over Puerto Rico, Fred is set to reach Florida over the weekend.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) advised residents to have emergency plans ready.
With the formation of Tropical Storm Fred, the latest storm system to make its way through the Caribbean and Atlantic region, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) anticipates the storm to continue tracking westward and take aim at Florida later this week.
Fred developed into a tropical storm overnight, strengthening from a cyclone.
After bringing rainfall to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, Fred is set to pass over parts of the Dominican Republic, bringing heavy rainfall that could lead to urban and river flash floods and mudslides.
As Fred is expected to reach south Florida by Saturday morning, the same flooding and river threats are expected for parts of the Southern state. Regions like the Keys will experience the first instances of Fred’s inclement weather, seeing a flooding risk.
A risk of strong winds and rainfall will impact parts of Hispaniola, the Bahamas, and Cuba throughout the week. Maximum sustained wind speeds will reach about 45 miles per hour.
NHC officials advise residents to continue checking forecasts for updates.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) advised residents to review their disaster plans and monitor updates.
PTC #6 developed into Tropical Storm #Fred overnight. This is the sixth named storm of the season & could potentially impact Florida this weekend.
While it’s too soon to determine exact impacts, Floridians should review their disaster plans & follow @FLSERT for updates. pic.twitter.com/2jtimA0g9L
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 11, 2021
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