Tropical Storm Fay formed in the Atlantic Ocean. Could it impact NC?
Tropical Storm Fay formed far in the Atlantic Ocean this weekend, with no forecasted impacts on North Carolina.
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“We do have one out towards the middle of (the Atlantic) near the Azores, and that is Tropical Storm Fay,” said Andrew Swiggett, meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Raleigh office during a Monday, Sept. 21 briefing. “It is starting to weaken, and is expected to continue to weaken before dissipating within the next four or five days. There’s no threat to land there so nothing of concern.”
Fay is the sixth tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and continues through Nov. 30. This season has been atypically weak with just a few named storms and no hurricanes in the Atlantic through the climatologist peak of the hurricane season.
The National Weather Service forecasted a below-normal hurricane season, partly due to a strong El Niño which can prevent tropical storms from forming but can bring more chances for rain and other precipitation to North Carolina during the winter months.
Tropical Storm Fay is moving slowly southward with a maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 11 a.m. advisory.
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These storms are categorized based on wind speed, which helps predict potential property damage, The News & Observer previously reported. Danger from other hazards like flooding, storm surges and tornadoes are not factored into the storm’s categorization.
According to the National Hurricane Center, storms are classified as:
Portions of this story were previously published in The News & Observer.
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This story was originally published September 21, 2026 at 12:54 PM with the headline “Tropical Storm Fay formed in the Atlantic Ocean. Could it impact NC?.”
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