Tropical Storm Kirk formed over the eastern Atlantic Ocean west of the Cabo Verde Islands on Monday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Kirk was located at latitude 13.5°N and longitude 34.8°W which put the center about 740 miles (1195 km) west of the Cabo Verde Islands.  Kirk was moving toward the west at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1001 mb.

A low pressure system over the eastern Atlantic Ocean west of the Cabo Verde Islands strengthened on Monday morning and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Kirk.  The circulation around Tropical Storm Kirk exhibited more organization on Monday.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Kirk’s circulation.  Storms near the center of KIrk’s circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  Even though Tropical Storm Kirk exhibited more organization, the distribution of thunderstorms was asymmetrical.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in southern and eastern parts of Kirk’s circulation.  Bands in the northern parts of Tropical Storm Kirk consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

The distribution of winds speeds around Tropical Storm Kirk was fairly symmetrical.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center of Kirk’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Kirk will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Kirk will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move under the middle of an upper level ridge over the eastern Atlantic Ocean.  The winds are weak near the middle of the upper level ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Kirk will intensify during the next 24 hours.  Kirk is likely to strengthen to a hurricane on Tuesday.

Tropical Storm Kirk will move around of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Kirk toward the west during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Kirk will move farther away from the Cabo Verde Islands.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Isaac was making a transition to an extratropical cyclone north-northwest of the Azores and Tropical Depression Joyce was spinning east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands.

At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Isaac was located at latitude 44.8°N and longitude 29.1°W which put the center about 480 miles (775 km) north-northwest of the Azores.  Isaac was moving toward the east-northeast at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 983 mb.

At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression Joyce was located at latitude 22.4°N and longitude 49.3°W which put the center about 940 miles (1510 km) east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands.  Joyce was moving toward the north at 2 m.p.h. (3 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.