Former Tropical Storm Fred has degenerated into an open tropical wave, but is forecast by the National Hurricane Center to regenerate and impact the U.S. as a tropical storm in the coming days.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida said in a bulletin today that Fred is forecast to regenerate as a tropical cyclone over the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow and bring a risk of tropical storm conditions to portions of the northern Gulf Coast starting on Monday. The greatest threat of impacts are from coastal Mississippi east to the Florida Panhandle. “Watches may be required for a portion of this area later in the weekend, ” the NHC warned.
The NHC is confident regeneration will occur, pegging those odds at 90% now.
Today through Monday, heavy rainfall from Fred could lead to areal, urban, and small stream flooding impacts and cause new and renewed river flooding across southern Florida, the Big Bend, and the Panhandle. From Monday and on, heavy rain and flood impacts could extend into other portions of the southeast as the storm moves inland. In the southern Appalachians and the Piedmont area, Fred is expected to interact with an approaching front there, which could create additional heavy rain and flood threats there with time.
