MIAMI—Forecasters say a rare, out-of-season subtropical storm has formed far out in the Atlantic Ocean and could threaten the Azores in the coming days.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Wednesday that Subtropical Storm Alex could produce powerful winds and heavy rains over the Azores later this week. It’s only the fourth time a storm has formed in January since 1851, according to the Hurricane Center’s Facebook page.
Meet Alex, the first January named storm in the Atlantic since 1978 https://t.co/dxP4KAD0zC via @wxshift pic.twitter.com/Ki3fUoTEsc
— ClimateCentral (@ClimateCentral) January 13, 2016
Subtropical Storm Alex forms in Far Eastern Atlantic & Way Out of Season - https://t.co/ZroxnTQLF3 pic.twitter.com/CNi34toknq
— Texas Storm Chasers (@TxStormChasers) January 13, 2016The Azores could see 3 to 5 inches of rain through Friday, with some areas getting as much as 7 inches. Forecasters warn this could lead to flash floods and mudslides. Gale-force winds are expected to reach the archipelago by late Thursday.
The storm’s maximum sustained winds were at 50 mph (85 kph) on Wednesday afternoon. It was moving northeast at 14 mph (22 kph) and was centered about 785 miles (1,260 kilometers) south of the Azores.
