Tropical Storm Gonzalo formed over the far eastern Atlantic Ocean southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands on Thursday evening. A Tropical Storm Warning was issued for all of the Cabo Verde Islands. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Gonzalo was located at latitude 13.2°N and longitude 22.1°W which put the center about 190 miles (305 km) southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands. Gonzalo was moving toward the north-northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for all of the Cabo Verde Islands.
A low pressure system over the far eastern Atlantic Ocean strengthened on Thursday evening and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Gonzalo.
The distribution of thunderstorms in Tropical Storm Gonzalo was asymmetrical. Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the southern and eastern parts of Gonzalo’s circulation. Bands in the northern and western parts of Tropical Storm Gonzalo consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of Gonzalo began to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the east of the tropical storm.
The strongest winds were occurring in the northeastern part of Tropical Storm Gonzalo. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) in the northeastern quadrant of Gonzalo’s circulation. The winds in the other parts of Tropical Storm Gonzalo were blowing at less than tropical storm force.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo will move through an environment that will be marginally favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Gonzalo will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 27°C. It will move under the western side of an upper level trough that is west of Africa. The upper level trough will produce northwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Gonzalo’s circulation. Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear. The moderate vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear may not be enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Storm Gonzalo could intensify a little on Friday.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo will move around the western end of a high pressure system that is over North Africa. The high pressure system will steer Gonzalo slowly toward the north-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Gonzalo will move over the Cabo Verde Islands on Friday night.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo will being strong winds and heavy rain to the Cabo Verde Islands. Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.
Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Fay continued to move west over the central North Atlantic. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Fay was located at latitude 29.8°N and longitude 42.3°W which put the center about 1040 miles (1675 km) west-southwest of the Azores. Fay was moving toward the west at 6 m.p.h. (10 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 1005 mb.