Tropical Storm Fay continued to move toward the west over the Central North Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Fay was located at latitude 29.8°N and longitude 41.8°W which put the center about 1020 miles (1640 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.
Tropical Storm Fay strengthened on Thursday as it moved westward over the Central North Atlantic. Even though Fay strengthened, the distribution of thunderstorms continued to be asymmetrical. Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the eastern and northern sides of Tropical Storm Fay. Bands in the western and southern parts of Fay’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of Fay generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease on Thursday.
The distribution of wind speeds in Tropical Storm Fay was also asymmetrical. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) in the northern side of Fay’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force only extended out 25 miles (40 km) in the southern side of Tropical Storm Fay.
Tropical Storm Fay will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours. Fay will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. It will move through a region where there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Storm Fay could intensify a little more during the next 12 hours. Fay will move into a region where the upper level winds are blowing from the northeast later on Friday. Those upper level winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase. Tropical Storm Fay is likely to start to weaken later on Friday when the vertical wind shear increases.
Tropical Storm Fay will move around the southern part of a high pressure system that is over the North Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Fay toward the west during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Fay will continue to move farther away from the Azores.
