ORLANDO, Fla. — Tropical Storm Fred developed late Tuesday night. Read updates on the storm below:

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11 p.m. update

As Fred moves back over water, a gradual redevelopment is expected, so is a close brush with the southwest coast this weekend, Channel 9 meteorologist Tom Terry said.

That means an increase in rain this weekend, and an isolated tornado threat.

5 p.m. update

Tropical Storm Fred lost organization Wednesday afternoon as it crossed over the Dominican Republic.

The storm is expected to weaken further as it continues moving over the country’s mountains.

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Channel 9 meteorologist George Waldenberger said he will be watching to see where it reemerges over water tonight or Thursday morning, and just how much further it weakens before doing so.

Once that happens, he said, we will have a better idea of the eventual track.

2 p.m. update

The center of Tropical Storm Fred is moving into the Dominican Republic now west of Santo Domingo with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. As it tracks over the island, it is expected to become more disorganized.

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11 a.m. update

As of 11 a.m., Tropical Storm Fred has winds of 45 mph and is moving west-northwest at 16 mph.

Channel 9 meteorologist Rusty McCranie said it will interact with the high terrain of the Dominican Republic later on Wednesday and is forecast to weaken.

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He said slow re-intensification is expected Thursday night and Fred will then move closer to Florida over the weekend.

Fred is still forecast to skirt Cuba, cross the Keys, and then emerge into the eastern Gulf of Mexico. McCranie said what impacts the high terrain of the Dominican Republic has on the center of Fred could impact its track.

Tropical storm warnings are currently in effect for the Dominican Republic, and a tropical storm watch is in effect for the southeast Bahamas and eastern Cuba, parts of Haiti and the Turks and Caicos.

8 a.m. update

Tropical Storm Fred continues to move toward the Dominican Republic.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for Dominican Republic, Haiti and Turks and Caicos Islands.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph.

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Meteorologist Brian Shields said the storm is not well-organized at all.

If the storm manages to reorganize itself, it could be near Florida by the weekend.

5 a.m. update

Tropical Storm Fred is nearing the Dominican Republic.

Forecasters said the storm is forecast to be near or over Hispaniola later Wednesday. It will then move near the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas on Thursday, and move north of the northern coast of central Cuba on Friday.

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The storm’s winds are near 40 mph.

The National Hurricane Center said some weakening is likely while the system interacts with Hispaniola.

Florida remains in the storm’s “cone of uncertainty.”

Meteorologist Brian Shields said Floridians should be in “monitor mode.” It’s too early to tell how or if the storm will impact Central Florida.

Follow our Severe Weather team on Twitter for live updates:

• Chief meteorologist Tom Terry
• Kassandra Crimi
• George Waldenberger
• Rusty McCranie
• Brian Shields

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