Tropical Storm Gaston could become Atlantic hurricaneNewly formed Tropical Storm Gaston could become a hurricane on Tuesday or Wednesday as it swirls in the Atlantic far from any coast, US forecasters said. (swpc.noaa.gov) NOAA logo(swpc.noaa.gov)Gaston, which became a tropical storm only Monday, is located 450 miles (725 kilometers) southwest of Cape Verde, and is not posing any coastal watches or warnings, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. Unlike former tropical storm Fiona, which was downgraded to a tropical depression on Sunday and continues to dissipate farther northwest in the Atlantic, Gaston is strengthening. Although the Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30, this year’s first hurricane — Alex — formed in January during an unusual weather event. Last year’s number of storms was below average, with 11 tropical storms in the Atlantic, six of which became hurricanes, including two major ones.

Source: Manila Bulletin August 23, 2016 08:37 UTC