Tammy strengthens in Cat 1 hurricane, targets eastern Caribbean: NHC

Tracking the Tropics: Oct. 20, 2023

The FOX 35 Storm Team is tracking two areas of tropical activity. Hurricane Tammy is churning in the open Atlantic Ocean and is battling some wind shear. Another area that shows potential for development in the Western Caribbean Sea.

Hurricane Tammy strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane late Friday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center, triggering fresh Hurricane Warnings for several of the northern Leeward Islands.

The storm is currently located about 200 miles east-southeast of Guadeloupe. Data from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that the maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph.

A turn toward the northwest is anticipated by on Friday, followed by a north-northwestward and northward turn Saturday night through Sunday night. On the forecast track, the center of Tammy will move near or over portions of the Leeward Islands tonight through Saturday night, and then move north of the northern Leeward Islands on Sunday.

Tammy will not threaten Central Florida or the U.S.

The FOX 35 Storm Team is also monitoring the potential for a tropical disturbance to develop in an area of the Western Caribbean Sea that extends from western Cuba to Belize.