In real time, Grace was not named as a tropical storm until it reached the latitude 41.2°N. This would have been the second farthest-north that a tropical storm formed in the Atlantic. Only Tropical Storm Alberto of 1988 had formed farther north. However, at the end of hurricane season, it was found that Grace actually became a tropical storm 12 hours earlier than people first thought. As a result, it formed at 38.5°N, which is further south. However, the storm's location was still unusual.