Meteorologists were last night monitoring what was expected to become the sixth named storm of the year – but the system is not considered a threat to Bermuda.

The US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said tropical cyclone 6 was expected to reach tropical storm strength by this afternoon as it passes through the Lesser Antilles.

The system – which would be named Tropical Storm Fred – is forecast to pass through the Caribbean over the course of the week, bringing heavy rain and tropical storm conditions to the region.

The Bermuda Weather Service said this mornign that the storm’s closest point of approach in the next three days was more than 842 miles south-southwest of Bermuda.

NOAA said last week in a midseason update there remains a 65 per cent chance of an above-normal hurricane season this year with an estimated 15 to 21 named storms.

Of those storms, it was forecast that between seven and ten are expected to reach hurricane strength and three to five could become major hurricanes with winds exceeding 111mph.