Subtropical storm Alex to miss Canary Islands

A rare subtropical storm has formed about 850 miles west of the Canary Islands and about the same distance south of the Azores. While the latter islands are likely to feel the full brunt of the storm to hurricane force winds and heavy rain later today and tomorrow, the Canary Island remain under the influence of dry air from North Africa and relatively high pressure. Locals here would have preferred if the system would bring some badly needed rain to the Canaries as the winter so far has been much too dry, but it now looks unlikely that the system will bring much precipitation, if any. Anyway, the good news is that the winds here will remain light to moderate.
UPDATE: Storm Alex now first hurricane of 2016

Here's an extract from the bulletin of the NHC in Florida:

BULLETIN
SUBTROPICAL STORM ALEX ADVISORY NUMBER   3
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL  

...ALEX CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN...
...EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AZORES TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...

SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...30.1N 29.3W
ABOUT 560 MI...905 KM SSW OF THE AZORES
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...70 MPH...110 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 20 DEGREES AT 18 MPH...30 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...984 MB...29.06 INCHES

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
At 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), the center of Subtropical Storm Alex was
located near latitude 30.1 North, longitude 29.3 West. The storm is
moving toward the north-northeast near 18 mph (30 km/h).  A turn
toward the north with an increase in forward speed is expected by
this afternoon.  On the forecast track, the center of Alex will move
through the central Azores late tonight or early Friday.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 70 mph (110 km/h)
with higher gusts.  Some fluctuations in strength are possible
during the next 48 hours. Alex is expected to move through the
Azores with storm-force winds Thursday night and Friday...

The forecast track of STS Alex