A Saturday statement from the U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm boasted winds of 110 km/h, not far below the threshold for full-fledged category 1 hurricane status.
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Gaston has sustained maximum winds of 90 miles (150 kilometers) per hour, the Miami-based NHC said in its 0900 GMT bulletin. “Strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Gaston is expected to become a hurricane by tonight”, the NHC said.
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect early Saturday.
Weather officials continue to give a tropical wave near Cuba a favorable chance of developing into a stronger system, but many computer models now steer it into the Gulf of Mexico. The storm’s maximum sustained winds are near 50 miles per hour (85 kph).
The National Hurricane Center will be issue an update on these tropical systems at 8:00 AM EDT.
Forecasters also are watching weak trough of low pressure about a hundred miles south of the coast of southwestern Louisiana.
“Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles”, it added.
While it has a little chance of forming over the next two days, the tropical wave has a greater potential to develop in the next five days – 60 percent. “Development of this system, if any, is likely to be slow to occur due to this system’s proximity to dry air”.
The center’s five-day forecast predicts however that Gaston will switch directions on Tuesday and move northeast back into the open ocean, and away from the United States mainland.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Gaston continues to spin over the Atlantic Ocean and not pose a threat to land. On its current path, Gaston is expected to pass to the east of Bermuda early next week.
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To keep up with storm activity as the season develops, bookmark the National Hurricane Center’s website and keep an eye on your hometown Patch site for local information.
