MIAMI, Fla. – Subtropical Storm Andrea became the first named storm of the 2019 hurricane season Monday after forecasters with the National Hurricane Center said the low-area of pressure reached the minimum sustained winds to qualify.
The low pressure system several hundred miles southwest of Bermuda reached maximum sustained winds of 40 mph Monday evening, according to data from an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft.
The storm has developed a well-defined center, forecasters with the NHC said.
[Hurricane Tracker: Follow updates on Andrea ]
The NHC in Miami issued an advisory for Subtropical Storm Andrea at 6:30 p.m. Andrea is moving northwest at 14 mph, according to the advisory.
News 6 meteorologist Tom Sorrells said computer models indicate Andrea is not expected to hit Florida.
Computer Models for Subtropical Storm Andrea. This does NOT have Florida in its crosshairs. pic.twitter.com/RxUrqeZX9b
— Tom Sorrells (@tomsorrells) May 20, 2019
According to Colorado State University meteorologist Philip Klotzbach, this marks the fifth year in a row a named storm has formed in the Atlantic Ocean before the start of hurricane season on June 1.
Subtropical storm #Andrea has formed in the western Atlantic - the first named storm of the 2019 Atlantic #hurricane season. pic.twitter.com/mLWsrbLXJg
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) May 20, 2019
"This breaks the old record of named storm formations prior to 1 June in four consecutive years set in 1951-1954," Klotzbach said in a tweet.