Tropical Storm Victor formed south of the Cabo Verde Islands on Wednesday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Victor was located at latitude 8.3°N and longitude 25.5°W which put it about 540 miles (870 km) south of the Cabo Verde Islands. Victor was moving toward the west-northwest at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.

The circulation around a low pressure system west of Africa strengthened on Wednesday afternoon and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Victor. There was a large circulation around Tropical Storm Victor and the circulation was still in the early stages of organization. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Victor. More thunderstorms were starting to develop near the center of circulation. The strongest thunderstorms were occurring west of the center. Storms near the center started to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles in the northern half of Victor’s circulation. The winds in the southern half of the circulation were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Storm Victor will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Victor will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Storm Victor will strengthen gradually. Victor will intensify to a hurricane by Friday.

Tropical Storm Victor will move south of a high pressure system over the eastern Atlantic Ocean. The high will steer Victor toward the west-northwest during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Victor will pass well to the southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, major Hurricane Sam was passing northeast of the Leeward Islands. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Sam was located at latitude 20.2°N and longitude 57.6°W which put it about 385 miles (620 km) east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands. Sam moving toward the northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 130 m.p.h. (215 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 945 mb.