Tropical Storm Erika Downgraded As New Storm Strengthens Off Africa's Coast And Three Category 4 Hurricanes Churn In Pacific

UPDATE 5:10 p.m. EDT: Tropical Storm Fred, sporting winds of 65 mph, strengthened Sunday as it headed toward the Cape Verde Islands at 65 mph. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm was expected to achieve hurricane strength late Sunday or early Monday.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the Cape Verde Islands. At 5 p.m. EDT, the storm was 150 miles east-southeast of Praia in the Cape Verde Islands.

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Days after Tropical Storm Erika caused devastating floods that killed at least 20 people in the Caribbean island nation of Dominica, the weather system has dissipated, after losing a great deal of its strength as it passed over Cuba. However, its remnants should be carefully watched by those in the region, including Florida, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. At the same time, three Category 4 hurricanes and one tropical storm continued churning in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans Sunday.

Hawaiians are being warned to remain vigilant as Ignacio has rapidly strengthened into a major hurricane in recent days, AccuWeather.com reported. Another strengthening storm, Kilo, is following in its track and expected to head over Hawaii next week. And Jimena remains strong hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph.

Meteorologists do not believe Hurricane Jimena will hit land, although it is too early to tell what kind of impact the storm might have on the Hawaiian islands.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Fred formed Sunday morning in the eastern Atlantic, about 315 miles east-southeast of the Cape Verde Islands off Africa’s coast. A tropical-storm warning and a hurricane watch have been issued for the islands, the Weather Channel reported.

Erika's remnants are expected to hit Florida Sunday. Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency there Friday and urged residents to remain vigilant, although much of the storm has dissipated recently. "That is encouraging news, but [it] doesn't mean we stop watching this weather system," CNN quoted his as saying after he received an update on the storm's status.

Heavy rainfall is still anticipated in Florida.

Flooding is frequently the primary killer in major storms. Dominica was deluged by 12 inches of rain in fewer than 10 hours last week, causing landslides that destroyed homes and livelihoods. At least 20 people were killed, and repairing infrastructure is estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said Friday the damage will set the island back two decades.