Tropical Storm Eta could become a hurricane Sunday on a track toward Florida
Tropical Storm Eta could strengthen into a hurricane before reaching Florida late Sunday night, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest forecast.
Broward and Miami-Dade counties remain under a hurricane watch with other areas, including Palm Beach County, under a tropical storm warning. The Florida Keys are under a hurricane warning.
Rain and wind has already overspread the region ahead of the storm, but tropical storm-force winds could begin late Sunday afternoon and continue though Monday night, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Molleda. Palm Beach County could begin feeling tropical-storm-force winds winds on Sunday evening.
Eta moved off the north coast of Cuba and was tracking over the Florida Straits toward the Florida Keys Sunday morning.
“Additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Eta could become a hurricane before it reaches the Florida Keys tonight,” the NHC said.
The most hazardous conditions are projected to come late Sunday night and Monday. South Florida can expect 6 to 9 inches of rain through Tuesday morning, Molleda said. The greatest potential is on the east coast, he said.
Eta has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. It is located 235 miles south-southeast of Miami and 90 miles west of Cangua, Cuba. It is moving north at 14 mph.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend 125 miles from Eta’s center.
The advisory’s forecast track of Eta remains southward, leaving all of coastal Broward and Palm Beach counties outside of it, along with much of Miami-Dade County’s coast.
However, Florida’s southeast coast is in the northeast quadrant of the storm, which means the area is vulnerable to heavy rainfall and tornadoes. Eta is loaded with bad weather on its north and east sides.
Tornadoes are possible across south Florida on Sunday night, Molleda said.
No substantial storm surge is expected, but flooding is possible along the coast and in low-lying areas. Broward County has been clearing storm drains and flushing water into canals to prepare for more rain in an already saturated South Florida.
Hurricane watches are in effect for the Florida coast from Deerfield Beach to Bonita Beach. The watch also covers the Florida Keys from Ocean Reef to the Dry Tortugas.
Tropical storm warnings were issued the East Coast of Florida from north of Jupiter Inlet to the Brevard/Volusia County line and for the West Coast of Florida from north of Bonita Beach to Englewood. Lake Okechobee is also under a tropical storm warning.
Tropical storm watches are in place for the Florida coast, north of Jupiter Inlet to the Brevard/Volusia County line. The watch also covers the Florida coast from north of Englewood to Anna Maria Island.
Warnings are also in place for six central Cuban provinces and the northwestern Bahamas.
The forecast trackhas the storm becoming much slower-moving toward the middle of the week while it is in the Gulf of Mexico, close to the western Florida coast. Its direction at that point is less certain.
Several South Florida cities have set up areas for sand bag distribution to residents only while supplies last. Bring your own bags and shovels, officials said.
Fort Lauderdale is offering sand at Mills Pond Park, at 2201 N.W. 9th Ave., from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lauderhill has the same offer at Veterans Park, at 7600 N.W. 50th St., from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Sunday.
Forecasters said a Hurricane Hunter aircraft found Eta’s center further south than expected on Friday afternoon. If the storm has slowed down, it will remain over warm water longer and have more time to strengthen before arriving at the south coast of Cuba.
Despite a pattern this year of storms seeing rapid intensification — defined by wind speeds increasing by at least 35 mph within 24 hours — conditions don’t appear favorable for Eta to follow suit.
But, forecasters warn, the exact track and intensity aren’t certain and the outlook could change.
The past five storms in the Atlantic basin — including Hurricane Eta before it struck Central America early this past week — have undergone rapid intensification.
Eta is expected to turn north and northwest later today and tonight as it slows down. It’s expected to track westward Monday.
On its forecast track Eta’s center moves across east-central Cuba for the next few hours and then gets into the Florida Straits later Sunday morning.
Eta is forecast to pass near or over the Florida Keys tonight and early Monday and be in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico late Monday or Tuesday.
Eta is likely to be gone from South Florida by late next week, sparing the area from a double-whammy of flooding rains during the next King Tides cycle, which begins Nov. 14 and ends Nov. 18.
“I think Eta should be pretty far removed from South Florida next Friday,” said Jonathan Erdman, digital meteorologist for the Weather Channel.
However, Molleda said power outages are possible and drivers on overpasses, especially in high-profile vehicles, should be aware of the potential for gusty winds.
Florida Power and Light announced Friday that its emergency plan was in place with about 10,000 personnel standing by to restore any power loss, as quickly as possible.
South Florida is under a flood watch through Tuesday evening.
Molleda said Sunday night is the most likely time for tropical-storm-force winds.
Local municipalities are gearing up for Eta. Palm Beach County had a conference call Friday with agencies including the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center to plot its strategy. It’ll also be in touch with the South Florida Water Management District.
Broward County is taking similar steps and held planning meetings Friday afternoon.
“I think the issue is mainly the timing [of Eta’s effects],” said John Jamason, Palm Beach County emergency management deputy director of public affairs.
Jamason said the county always plans for a storm one category higher than its expected arrival. He said he’s unsure whether Eta would necessitate opening shelters but that possibility will be discussed.
Eta weakened into a tropical depression Wednesday evening after making landfall in Nicaragua as a Category 4 major hurricane earlier this past week. The storm fell apart over Central America’s mountainous terrain but not before bringing life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds and flash flooding.
Eta is the 12th hurricane of the year. Only three other full Atlantic seasons on record have seen more than 12 hurricanes.
It is the 28th named storm of the year, tying the 2005 season record for 28 storms of tropical storm strength or greater.
Eta could be the first storm of the season to make landfall in Florida.
Louisiana, by contrast, has been hit with five named storms – Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta, and Tropical Storms Cristobal and Marco.
Meanwhile, the NHC is monitoring a broad non-tropical area of low pressure that might be developing several hundred miles southwest of the Azores. The NHC said it could develop subtropical characteristics later this week as it moves east or east-northeast over the Atlantic Ocean.
The NHC gives it a 20 percent chance of formation over the next five days.
Closures
Tri-Rail service will be closed on Sunday as a result of Tropical Storm Eta. The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority will monitor the storm before making a decision when to resume service.
Miami-Dade College has suspended all classes, including online instruction, on Sunday and Monday.
Palm Beach County has temporarily paused COVID-19 testing at its seven county-run sites until the storm passes.
State drawbridges in Broward and Palm Beach counties must be locked down eight hours before tropical-storm-force winds arrive. The bridges will be closed to marine traffic and will remain closed until they are assessed for damage.
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