Tropical Storm Gonzalo Sets Record as it Churns Toward Caribbean

(CNN) Tropical Depression Seven strengthened into Tropical Storm Gonzalo on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center(NHC).

The storm was around 1,250 miles east of the southern Windward Islands on Wednesday morning, packing winds of 45 mph and moving to the west-northwest at 12 mph.

“Given the increased organisation of the system and its small size, Gonzalo’s (pronounced gohn-SAH-loh) likelihood of becoming a hurricane is rising. Small storms are prone to more significant fluctuations in intensity, both up and down,” CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward said. 

Strengthening will continue in the next day as the storm is expected to become the season’s first hurricane by Thursday, the NHC said.

The NHC is forecasting the storm will weaken slightly before moving over the Windward Islands. The storm may even fizzle after it moves over the islands, as many models are indicating, or it could continue to intensify into next week. It’s still a little too early to tell exactly what it will do after it moves into the Caribbean.

Read more at: CNN