There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

None.

At 500 PM AST (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Paulette was located near latitude 17.5 North, longitude 42.4 West. Paulette is moving toward the northwest near 3 mph (6 km/h). A slow motion toward the northwest or northnorthwest is expected tonight. Paulette is then forecast to move a little faster and generally westward on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Modest strengthening is expected during the next couple of days.

Tropicalstormforce winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).

Recent visible imagery shows that Paulette's circulation has become better defined since this morning. There has also been some evidence of increased banding, however the tropical storm remains sheared, with deep convection occuring primarily in its northeast quadrant. Recent satellite-based intensity estimates range from just below to just above the 35-kt intensity estimate.

The NHC forecast still calls for modest strengthening over the next day or two, and this seems like a good bet given the recent observed improvement of Paulette's organization and structure. Moderate shear and some surrounding dry air appear to be inhibiting factors for substantial intensification, though the HWRF is a notable outlier that forecasts Paulette to become a hurricane in about 48 h. No major changes to the official intensity forecast were required at this time, and the NHC forecast is between the IVCN and HCCA consensus aids.

Paulette appears to have moved slowly toward the northwest during the past several hours. The guidance spread has increased a little, though the models all have the same general idea. For the next 12 to 24 hours, Paulette will be embedded in an area of weak steering flow, though reformations of the center closer to the convection could result in a northwest to north-northwestward motion. A mid-level ridge is forecast to build over the western and central North Atlantic in a day or two and this should cause Paulette to turn back toward the west. The NHC forecast is slightly north of the previous one and is close to the latest multi-model consensus.