Satellites confirm Fay weakened to a Tropical Storm

The fifth named Atlantic storm didn't maintain hurricane status long. Fay became a hurricane late on Oct. 12 and by early on Oct. 13, had weakened back to a tropical storm.

A visible image from NOAA's GOES-East satellite on Oct. 13 at 1145 UTC (7:45 a.m. EDT) showed Tropical Storm Fay northeast of Bermuda and Tropical Storm Gonzalo over the Lesser Antilles. Fay appeared circular, but didn't have the signature shape of a tropical storm like Gonzalo, with bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center. The image was created by the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The National Hurricane Center noted that microwave imagery showed Fay has begun extra-tropical transition. NHC discussion said: The cloud pattern has become quite asymmetric and the remaining central deep convection, situated well to the northeast of the center of circulation, is decreasing.

At 5 a.m. EDT on Oct. 13, Tropical Storm Fay's maximum sustained winds were near 65 mph (100 kph) and gradually weakening. It was centered near latitude 34.3 north and longitude 55.3 west. Fay was about 565 miles (910 km) east-northeast of Bermuda and moving to the east at 26 mph (43 kph)..

The NHC expects Fay to merge with a frontal zone and become an extra-tropical cyclone by tonight, Oct. 13.