The storm’s maximum sustained winds early Friday are near 40 miles per hour (65 kph) with no significant change in strength expected during the next day or so. It has a 50-percent chance of development over the next five days.
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An image from NASA’s Aqua satellite showed that southwesterly wind shear was affecting Tropical Storm Fiona, pushing clouds to the northeast of the center.
Another tropical wave is also being monitored by the National Hurricane Center.
The second disturbance under watch is a tropical wave that’s expected to blow off the coast of Africa on Saturday.
At that time it was about 1,295 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and moving towards the west northwest at 10 miles per hour.
“Environmental conditions appear conductive for gradual development of this system early next week while it moves generally west-northwestward over the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean”, the center’s report said. The wave is producing a broad area of low pressure, but only a few showers and thunderstorms, the hurricane center said. The storm has been given a 30 percent chance of developing more over the next five days.
Animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery continues to depict an exposed low-level circulation center with deep convection flaring near the center.
“This motion is expected to continue with some increase in forward speed for the next couple of days…” The intensity forecast follows the guidance consensus in calling for the cyclone to weaken to a depression by 48 hours, and then remain at about a 30 kt intensity through the rest of the forecast period.
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