Tropical Storm Tammy could become a hurricane by the end of the week, NHC says

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The National Hurricane Center is tracking Tropical Storm Tammy, which formed Wednesday in the Atlantic.

Tammy could be at hurricane intensity as it approaches the Leeward Islands on Friday and Saturday, the NHC said.

According to the latest forecast, the storm has maximum sustained winds near 60 mph, with higher gusts. Tammy is expected to gradually strengthen in the coming days.

The storm is located about 165 miles east-northeast of Barbados. Tammy is forecast to turn toward the northwest Friday night or Saturday.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:

• Guadeloupe
• Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, and Nevis

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:

• Guadeloupe
• Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, and Nevis

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:

• Barbados
• Dominica
• Martinique
• Anguilla
• St. Barthelemy
• Saba and St. Eustatius
• St. Maarten
• St. Martin

Forecasters said Tammy could dump as much as 10 inches of rain across portions of the northern Windward into the Leeward Islands. Most areas will see three to six inches of rain.

Up to four inches of rain are expected for the British and U.S. Virgin Islands into eastern Puerto
Rico. According to NHC forecasters, these rains could produce isolated flash and urban flooding, along with mudslides in some areas.

Swells from Tammy will begin to affect portions of the Lesser Antilles late Thursday. The swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, the NHC said.

An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is scheduled to investigate Tammy on Thursday afternoon.