The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has upgraded Tropical Depression #19 to Tropical Storm Rina. In their latest advisory, the NHC puts the center of Tropical Storm Rina near latitude 30.4 North, longitude 49.9 West. Rina is moving toward the north near 7 mph (11 km/h), and a general northward motion with an increase in forward speed is expected to continue through Wednesday, followed by a north-northeastward motion on Wednesday night.
Satellite wind data indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is forecast during the next day or so. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles to the east of the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1010 mb (29.83 inches).
Rina is expected to become an extratropical cyclone soon and then be absorbed by a larger system moving poleward. As such, unlike Ophelia which impacted Ireland and UK hard last month, no major impacts from Rina are expected in Europe.
