Florida Keys now under tropical storm watch as Fred approaches

MIAMI — The Florida Keys and a swath of Southwest Florida were placed under a tropical storm watch Thursday as weak but very wet Tropical Depression Fred continued to skirt the north coast of Cuba. Fred, though ragged and “poorly disorganized,” was expected to regain tropical storm strength as it crosses the Florida Straits on Friday. But its main threat to South Florida this weekend will be heavy rains, with the bulk of it expected Saturday. The National Hurricane Center, in its 8 p.m. EDT advisory Thursday, said Fred was drenching Cuba and Hispaniola on Thursday and was expected to pass over...