Tropical Depression Fred to get more intense before hitting Florida

Fred downgraded into a tropical depression overnight Wednesday into Thursday but could return to tropical storm strength as it approaches Florida. The video above shows Fred, then a tropical storm, dumping rain in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Wednesday.

The storm weakened back to depression as it was moving over Haiti and the Dominican Republic. However, it still knocked out power to about 300,000 people and caused flooding that forced officials to shut down part of the country’s aqueduct system.

Heavy rains continued to pound Hispaniola, which the two nations share, on Thursday.

According to the National Hurricane Center, as of 8:00 a.m. Thursday, Fred was centered 40 miles west-southwest of Great Inagua Island in the southernmost Bahamas. It was moving west-northwest at about 16 mph.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 35 mph. However, Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands recently reported a wind gust of 39 mph.

A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the following areas Thursday morning:

• Haiti from the northern border with the Dominican Republic to Gonaives
• Southeastern Bahamas
• The Cuban provinces of Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las Tunas, Holguin, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantanamo

The storm is expected to move across the southeastern Bahamas Thursday, along or just north of eastern and central Cuba Thursday and Friday, and be near the Florida Keys and south Florida on Saturday. While the storm is not expected to get much stronger Thursday, but slow strengthening is expected Friday and this weekend.

Fred was expected to produce the following rainfall amounts:

• 3 to 5 inches across the Dominican Republic, with up to 8 inches in some parts. The NHC warned Thursday morning rain could lead to flash, urban, and small stream flooding, along with possible rapid river rises and the potential for mudslides.
• 1 to 3 inches over Haiti, the Turks and Caicos, the eastern Bahamas, and Cuba, with up to 5 inches in some parts.
• 3 to 5 inches across the western Bahamas, with up to 8 inches in some parts.
• 3 to 5 inches across the Florida Keys and the southern Florida Peninsula, with up to 8 inches in some parts. Heavy rainfall could lead to areal, urban, and small stream flooding, along with possible rapid river rises.