High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Hurricane Fred was one of the easternmost forming major hurricanes in the North Atlantic basin on record. Forming out of a strong tropical wave on September 7 near the Cape Verde Islands, Fred gradually organized within an area of moderate wind shear. The following day, decreasing shear allowed the storm to intensify and develop well-organized convective banding features. Later on September 8, Fred attained hurricane intensity and underwent rapid intensification overnight, attaining its peak intensity as a strong Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 958 mbar (hPa; 28.29 inHg). Shortly after reaching this intensity, the hurricane began to weaken as wind shear increased and dry air hampered convective development.