UPDATE 8/13 11am
At 1100 AM EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Fred was located near latitude 22.3 North, longitude 78.4 West. The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue today. A turn toward the northwest is expected tonight or Saturday. On the forecast track, Fred is expected to move along or near the north coast of central Cuba through tonight, be near the Florida Keys on Saturday, and move near or west of the west coast of the Florida peninsula Saturday night and Sunday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected today. After that, slow strengthening is expected, and Fred could become a tropical storm again tonight or Saturday.
UPDATE 8/13 8am
At 800 AM EDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Fred was located near latitude 22.2 North, longitude 77.5 West. The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph (17 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue today. A turn toward the northwest is expected tonight or Saturday. On the forecast track, Fred is expected to move along or just north of eastern and central Cuba through tonight, be near the Florida Keys on Saturday, and near the west coast of Florida on Sunday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Slow strengthening is expected during the next couple of days, and Fred could become a tropical storm again later today.
UPDATE 8/12 8pm
At 8 pm EDT, Fred remains in an unorganized Tropical Depression pattern.
Tropical Storm watches are issued for South Florida and the Florida Keys, specifically on the Peninsula from Bonita Beach south and east to Ocean Reef.
The National Hurricane Center says Fred is moving west-northwest at 7 mph with sustained winds at 35-mile-per-hour.
NO watches or warnings are in effect for Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach.