MIAMI – There’s not much change in the strength of forecasts around Tropical Storm Grace and officials are still calling for its continued weakening as it moves westward.

The National Hurricane Center released the following advisory and discussion on the storm at 4 a.m. on Sept. 7:

Given the strong southwesterly upper-level winds expected near the eastern Caribbean late in the (five-day forecast) period, it is quite possible that Grace will degenerate to a tropical wave before it reaches the Lesser Antilles.

Grace continues to move westward at 14 knots. The tropical cyclone is forecast to move generally westward to the south of a large mid- to upper-level ridge over the central Atlantic. The model guidance is in good agreement on this scenario and the NHC forecast is once again essentially an update of the previous NHC advisory.

The center of Tropical Storm Grace was located near latitude 13.5 North, longitude 33.9 West. Grace is moving toward the west near 16 mph and this general motion is expected to continue over the next couple of days.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next day or so, followed by gradual weakening thereafter.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1002 mb (29.59 inches).