CENTRAL FLA. — Tropical Storm Fay is strengthening in the open Atlantic and is now forecast to become a hurricane later tonight or early Monday.
The 5 pm advisory from the National Hurricane Center had winds of 65 mph, making Fay a strong tropical storm.
Fay formed early Sunday morning when Tropical Depression Six was upgraded to tropical storm status in the open Atlantic.
It is the sixth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season.
Fay is anticipated to strengthen further and become a short-lived hurricane in the next 12 hours.
Should it become a hurricane, it would be the first hurricane in the Atlantic basin so far this year.
Fay is moving slowly to the north-northeast but is expected to slowly turn southwestward on Monday.
The complex is anticipated to remain out to sea with elevated surf possible near the Azores.
Elsewhere, no major activity is expected in the next 7 days.
Next week, the Climate Prediction Center is monitoring two potential zones for tropical development in the Atlantic.
One area northeast of the Bahamas and a second area in the Main Development Region in the eastern Atlantic.
We are also monitoring potential late-month activity in the Gulf, but recent model trends are pulling back on possible activity.
Stay with Severe Weather Center 9 for the latest on the tropics all season long.
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