The storm is moving north-northwest at 21 mph, and is now about 660 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, which are about 350 miles off the coast of Senegal in Africa.
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Additional strengthening is likely, and Gaston should become a hurricane later today.
As of 11:00 a.m., the system is located 685 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and is expected to make a gradual turn northwest accompanied by a decrease in forward speed.
An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft and crew is scheduled to investigate this system later this morning, but people in the central and northern Lesser Antilles, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico should keep a close eye on its progress.
Earlier, the hurricane center had said the system east of the Leeward Islands had 50-50 chance of growing into a tropical cyclone.
Meanwhile in the Pacific, Kay is expected to become a remnant low later on Thursday. That system, dubbed 99L, has the potential to become Tropical Depression Eight and Tropical Storm Hermine late this week. Sustained winds reached 65 miles per hour as the storm moved about 21 miles per hour, forecasters said.
Next is newly-formed Tropical Storm Gaston, the season’s seventh named storm.
Along the islands of the northeast Caribbean Sea and the central and southeast Bahamas… they will experience heavy rainfall… gusty winds and possible flash flooding and mudslides.
Right now it does not look too bad for the Suncoast, but that may change as we get closer to the weekend.
A tropical wave approaching the Caribbean is under great scrutiny, as forecasters attempt to determine if it will have a significant impact along the East Coast.
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Recent satellite data suggests the system has not yet developed a well-defined circulation. Sustained wind speeds are about 65 miles per hour, with much higher gust speeds. The chance for formation within 5 days remains at 60 percent. In other words, the fuel is there if a storm is in place, but there are no “set in stone” solutions or answers for precisely when and where a hurricane threat could materialize through next week. The storm will eventually take a northerly track, keeping it away from land, WDSU meteorologist Kweilyn Murphy said in an update Tuesday.
