 A well @-@ defined tropical wave developed into a tropical depression just offshore Africa about 190 mi ( 310 km ) west @-@ northwest of Conakry , Guinea , early on August 30 . About six hours later , the depression intensified into a tropical storm . The next day , Fred further grew to a Category 1 hurricane and several hours later peaked with winds of 85 mph ( 140 km / h ) and a minimum pressure of 986 mbar ( 29 @.@ 1 inHg ) while approaching Cape Verde . After passing Boa Vista and moving away from Santo Antão , it entered a phase of steady weakening , dropping below hurricane status by September 1 . Fred then turned to the west @-@ northwest and endured increasingly hostile wind shear , but maintained its status as a tropical cyclone despite repeated forecasts of dissipation . It fluctuated between a minimal tropical storm and tropical depression through September 4 – 5 before curving sharply to the north . By September 6 , Fred 's circulation pattern had diminished considerably and the cyclone degenerated into a trough several hours later while located about 1 @,@ 210 mi ( 1 @,@ 950 km ) southwest of the Azores . The remnants were soon absorbed by a frontal system . 
