MIAMI (October 12, 2012)--Tropical Storm Patty has strengthened Friday in the Atlantic east of the Bahamas, but forecasters still expect the storm to be short-lived.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami named the storm Thursday afternoon.
Patty's center was about 260 miles northeast of the central Bahamas and it was stationary with maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour.
Forecasters said the storm could begin moving slowly to the southwest Friday night.
Some gradual weakening is likely to begin on Saturday.
No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.
| Cat. | Winds | Damage |
| 1 | 74-95 mph | Minimal |
| 2 | 96-110 mph | Moderate |
| 3 | 111-130 mph | Extensive |
| 4 | 131-155 mph | Extreme |
| 5 | > than 155 mph | Catastrophic |
