Storm Gastón forms in the Atlantic while Fiona threatens the Bahamas

Miami, Sep 20 (EFE).- Storm Gastón formed this Tuesday in the middle of the Atlantic, west of the Azores Islands, without posing a threat to coastal areas at the moment, while the hurricane Fionaa major category, continues to produce strong winds and rains over portions of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Gastón, emerged from the eighth tropical depression of the current season, is heading north-northeast and its strong swells are expected to affect the Azores this week, said the National Hurricane Center (NHC) from the United States.

At 21:00 GMT, its center was located 990 miles (1,595 km) west of the Azores, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (65 km/h).

There are no coastal alerts or warnings in force, but the Portuguese Azores islands must monitor the progress of this system, warned the NHC, based in Miami (Florida).

Meanwhile, the Bermuda Islands weather service issued a tropical storm watch for the proximity of Fiona, which is heading north-northwest and has maximum sustained winds of 115 miles (185 km), making it a category 3 hurricane. , that is, a major hurricane according to the Saffir-Simpson scale.

As of 21:00 GMT, Fiona’s center was 50 miles (80 km) north of Caicos Island and about 785 miles (1,280 km) southwest of Bermuda.

For this reason, a hurricane watch was in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as a tropical storm warning for the southeastern Bahamas, including Crooked Island, Long Cayo, the Inaguas, Mayaguana and the Ragged Islands.

Also, a tropical storm watch remains in effect for Bermuda, according to the NHC.

On the forecast track, the center of Fiona should gradually move away from the Turks and Caicos Islands tonight and tomorrow Wednesday, and approach Bermuda next Thursday night.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km)