On Tuesday, Tropical Storm Fred strengthened as it travelled through the open waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Tropical Storm Fred is the sixth tropical storm of the 2009 Atlantic season and is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane within the next two days, however, its path should keep it clear of any land for a week or more.
Currently, the storm is located southwest of the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa. Tropical Storm Fred is expected to take a track to the northwest or north, thousands of miles (km) to the east of the United State’s East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico oil patch.
By 11 a.m. EDT, the storm’s sustained winds had increased to 65 miles per hour (105 km per hour) and it was expected to grow to a 90-mph (145-kph) storm, a strong Category 1, before starting to weaken in three days, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. "Further strengthening seems likely given warm waters and light (wind) shear for the next 24-36 hours," the NHC said in a statement.
The storm's anticipated track would keep it far from the Gulf of Mexico, where U.S. oil and gas operations are clustered.
