Tropical Storm Gaston: Where It's Headed

(Sept. 1) -- And then there were three.

With Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona already churning in the Atlantic Ocean, the last thing jittery coastal residents of the Eastern Seaboard wanted to see was the formation of another storm. But Wednesday afternoon, Tropical Depression Nine gained strength and became Tropical Storm Gaston (no relation to the popular "Beauty and the Beast" character of the same name). Here are the latest details from the National Weather Service.

1. Where is Tropical Storm Gaston?
As of 5 p.m. EDT, Gaston was located 895 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands and was moving west at a speed of 15 miles per hour.

2. What is Tropical Storm Gaston's projected path?
According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Gaston will continue to track toward the islands of the Lesser Antilles as it continues to intensify. Over the next 48 hours, however, the storm is expected to slow down.

3. How strong is Tropical Storm Gaston?
At preset, Gaston is packing sustained winds of 40 mph. Those wind speeds are expected to increase, however, and the storm is forecast to become a hurricane late Saturday or early Sunday.

4. Are there any watches or warnings for Tropical Storm Gaston?
Because it is still so far out to sea, there are no warnings or advisories in effect for Gaston at this time.

5. Will Tropical Storm Gaston affect the U.S.?
It's still to early to know the path Gaston will take, or whether it could reach the U.S. as a tropical storm or a hurricane.