WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (UPI) — Tropical Depression Fred is beginning to look a little ragged but continues churning in the central Atlantic ocean and may have an opportunity to rebuild before encountering wind shear likely to tear it the rest of the way apart.
The most recent advisory from the National Hurricane Center placed the center of the storm about 1,270 miles southwest of the Azore Islands moving north at 9 miles per hour. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour, though higher gusts have been detected.
Fred’s center of circulation continues to be well-defined, with its most intense storms located in clusters to the north and south of its eye. The outer bands have become more elongated, as wind shear has been tearing at the storm for several days.
A short break in shear is expected to give Fred a chance to rebuild, however the wind shear will pick back up as the storm takes a turn toward the northeast sometime in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Fred peaked as a category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds 85 miles per hour when it passed over the Cape Verde Islands on Aug. 31. Fred is the first hurricane on record to have passed over the islands.
As Fred continues to limp along, the strengthening Tropical Storm Grace was 450 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands and moving west at 14 miles per hour. Grace has maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour and is expected to continue strengthening over the next 48 hours.
