Tropical Storm Gonzalo slightly strengthened as it continued to move west late Wednesday, and the eighth system of the season has formed into a depression in the Gulf of Mexico.
Gonzalo is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane by Thursday. A hurricane watch was issued for Barbados.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Gonzalo was centered Wednesday night about 1,045 miles east of the Southern Windward Islands. At 11 p.m. EDT, it had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving west at 12 mph.
The system set a record for the earliest named seventh tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Tropical Storm Gert formed on July 24, 2005, which was the former record holder.
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In the Gulf of Mexico, Tropical Depression Eight was about 530 miles east-southeast of Port O'Connor, Texas, with maximum sustained wins of 30 mph. As of 10 p.m. EDT, it was moving west-northwest at 6 mph. A tropical storm watch was issued for much of the Texas coast.
So far this year, Cristobal, Danielle, Edouard and Fay have all set records for being the earliest named storms of their respective place in the alphabet.
Stay with the NBC 6 First Alert weather team for the latest updates
