Tropical storm Fred over Hispaniola, races toward Cuba and Florida

Tropical storm Fred was passing over the Caribbean island of Hispaniola on Wednesday, made up of the countries of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC)in Miami said at 11 a.m. that Fred was moving west-northwest, at 16 mph (26 kph), with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph). It forecast some weakening of the storm as it moved through mountainous Hispaniola.

The NHC warned of possible flash flooding, with rainfall of up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) and tropical storm winds expected over the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Southern Bahamas as well as Cuba and Florida.

Fred was forecast to hug Cuba's east and central northern coast on Thursday, gaining some strength, before heading toward Florida early Friday morning.

Storm warning were up in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and parts of Cuba.

"There is an increasing chance of wind and rainfall impacts in Florida beginning Friday night or early Saturday," the center's advisory said.

Fred passed by the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Tuesday causing little damage and no casualties.