Hurricane Alex is the first Atlantic storm to form in January since 1938

Tropical storm winds of 85 miles per hour are due to hit Portugal’s Azores islands Friday morning

Tropical storm force winds will reach up to 85-mph over the Azores islands (Getty)

The first Atlantic storm to form in January since 1938 has picked up speed to 85-mph winds, due to hit Portugal’s Azores islands Friday morning.

Hurricane Alex, the first named storm of 2016, started to spin about 350 miles south of the islands Thursday afternoon.

Its activity is unusual as tropical storms normally occur over warm waters and is unexpected in the North Atlantic in January.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, according to CNN.

Hurricane Alex was forecast to have sustained winds of 85-mph with higher gusts. It will pick up speed over the Azores, which is home to 250,000 people, on Friday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The population of the Azores islands should prepare for three to five inches of rain, and seven inches in isolated areas, which could trigger life-threatening mudslides or flash floods.

Tropical storm-force winds can reach a span of 175 miles outwards from the storm center.

The storm is expected to head north via Greenland and is not forecast to approach the US or Europe.