Tropical Storm Fay forms off coast of North Carolina

MIAMI - Tropical Storm Fay formed off the coast of North Carolina on Thursday, forecasters said.  

Fay officially reached the 39-mph wind threshold for tropical storm status Thursday afternoon. The storm is located in the Atlantic just east of the Outer Banks and forecasters expect it to move to the northeast, hugging the coast as it goes. Sustained winds are now at 45 mph with movement to the north at 7 mph.

Fay is expected to bring heavy rain and gusty winds to parts of the mid-Atlantic coast and southern New England.   

A tropical storm warning was issued Thursday afternoon from Cape May, New Jersey, to Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The warning area includes Long Island and the Long Island Sound in New York, forecasters said.   According to forecasters, Fay will experience slight strengthening into Friday before it weakens as the center moves inland.

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Fay is already the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and is the earliest named sixth storm since tropical weather recordkeeping began.

Two named storms formed before the official start of the hurricane season June 1.  The next name on the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season list is "Gonzalo." 

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