Tropical depression could form, threaten Florida before end of weekend, hurricane center says
Chances continue to increase that a system in the Caribbean but headed to the Gulf of Mexico will form into a tropical depression or storm and threaten Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center as of 8 a.m. Saturday.
Currently located in the northwestern Caribbean, the NHC said the area of low pressure with shower and thunderstorm activity has continued to show signs of organization on Saturday.
“Environmental conditions appear conducive for further development of this system during the next several days, and a tropical depression is likely to form late this weekend or early next week while it moves generally northward over the eastern Gulf of Mexico,” forecasters said. “Interests in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, western Cuba, and Florida should monitor the progress of this system.”
The forecast path has it curling north toward Florida’s Gulf Coast by Tuesday or Wednesday.
The NHC gives it a 70% chance to form in the next two days and 90% chance in the next seven.
If it spins up into named-storm status, it could become Tropical Storm Idalia.
“I’ve directed @KevinGuthrieFL & the FL Emergency Management team to prepare for a potential tropical system currently moving across the Yucatán Peninsula,” Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X on Thursday night. “Residents should remain vigilant and prepare for possible impacts early next week.”
The NHC is also continuing to track Tropical Storm Franklin, the lone remaining named storm from a 48-hour spree of tropical storms that popped up earlier this week.
As of 11 p.m. Friday, Franklin was 320 miles east-northeast of Grand Turk Island and 690 miles south of Bermuda moving east-northeast at 8 mph with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 115 miles.
“A sharp turn toward the north, with an increase in forward motion is expected Friday night and Saturday, with a northward or north-northwestward motion over the western Atlantic continuing through early next week,” forecasters said. “Gradual strengthening is forecast, and Franklin will likely become a hurricane over the weekend.”
Its path. though, keeps it clear of land.
That would make it only the second hurricane of the season, which has so far produced eight named storms.
The NHC was also tracking two other systems with a chance to become a depression or storm.
Several hundred miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands in the central tropical Atlantic is an area of low pressure with disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
“Environmental conditions could become more conducive for development over the weekend, and a tropical depression could form early next week while
the system moves generally northwestward over the central subtropical Atlantic,” forecasters said.
The NHC gives it a 20% chance to form in the next two days and 40% in the next seven.
Also the NHC predicts a new system will form from a tropical wave moving off the west coast of Africa.
“Some slow development of this system is then possible late next week while the system moves westward across the tropical Atlantic,” forecasters said.
The NHC gives it a 20% chance to form in the next seven days.
