MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Arlene, the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, formed Friday in the Gulf of Mexico on a track taking the cyclone south toward the western tip of Cuba.
SKY Storm Center tracks every storm throughout the 2023 Hurricane Season
National Hurricane Center forecasters said in a 1:30 p.m. advisory that Arlene had sustained winds of 40 mph and was located about 265 miles west of Fort Myers, Florida. It’s moving south at about 5 mph.
The storm will have limited or no impact on North Central Florida, but could drop rain on South Florida this weekend.
No storm watches or warnings have been posted for Cuba or Florida. Forecasters say the storm could fall apart before reaching any land.
Tropical storms have winds of at least 39 mph; anything 74 mph or higher is designated a hurricane.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially began Thursday and runs through Nov. 30. Last year’s season had 14 named storms, with extensive damage caused by Hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Fiona.