Tropical Storm Gonzalo forms in Atlantic, heads for Puerto Rico

[October 13, 2014]  MIAMI (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Gonzalo formed on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean, east of the Caribbean Islands and was forecast to become a hurricane by the time it reaches Puerto Rico on Tuesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The storm, with sustained winds of 45 miles per hour (75 km per hour), was located about 110 miles (180 km) east southeast of the Antigua, and was moving toward the west at near 12 miles per hour (19 km per hour).

A hurricane watch was issued for Puerto Rico, as well as the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

A tropical storm warning was also in effect for the Lesser Antilles, including Guadeloupe, St Maarten/St Martin, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, and Montserrat.
 

Most forecasts show Gonzalo not making landfall in the mainland United States and spinning away in a northerly direction over the Atlantic after leaving Puerto Rico.

So far the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season has been relatively inactive and Gonzalo was only the seventh named storm of the year. In August forecasters downgraded their outlook for the season, predicting below-normal activity with seven to 12 named storms, and no more than two reaching major hurricane status.

A major hurricane is considered to be Category 3 or above with winds hitting at least 111 mph (178 kph).

(Reporting by David Adams in Miami and Jim Loney in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Eric Walsh and Michael Perry)

[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.