Tropical Storm Franklin striking Dominican Republic as NHC tracks 3 other systems
Tropical Storm Franklin made its way north through the Caribbean now making landfall on the Dominican Republic this morning while the National Hurricane Center keeps tabs on Tropical Depression Harold and two other systems.
As of 11 a.m., TS Franklin was about 65 miles south-southwest of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and 180 miles south of Grand Turk Island moving north at 13 mph with maximum sustained winds that have dropped from 50 to 40 mph and higher gusts as it moves over land.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 105 miles with rain affecting Haiti as well.
“On the forecast track, the center of Franklin will move off the north coast of the Dominican Republic later today and then move over the southwestern Atlantic into weekend,” forecasters said. “Little change in strength is expected through tonight, but gradual strengthening could begin by Thursday. Franklin could be near or at hurricane strength over the southwestern Atlantic by Saturday.”
Parts of both the D.R. and Haiti remain under tropical storm warnings with tropical storm watches extending to other sections of Hispaniola as well as the Turks and Caicos to the north.
Rain totals are expected between 5 and 10 inches but some areas could see up to 15 inches across the central part of the island. Some rain is also expected to the west across Puerto Rico tonight.
Elsewhere, the NHC gave its last advisory on Tropical Depression Harold after it made its way into Mexico across Texas on Tuesday.
At 5 a.m., the system was about 235 miles south of Midland, Texas and 340 miles southeast of El Paso, Texas with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph headed west-southwest at 14 mph.
A flood watch remained in effect for portions of the Trans-Pecos and Big Bend regions of Texas.
Elsewhere, the NHC was continuing to track two systems with a chance to form into a tropical depression or storm.
The higher of the two is an area of low pressure several hundred miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands that are the remnants of what had been Tropical Storm Emily. It continues to produce a large area of convection.
“Upper-level winds are forecast to become more conducive for development in a day or so, and this system is likely to regenerate into a tropical depression or tropical storm late this week or this weekend when the system moves northward over the subtropical central Atlantic,” forecasters said.
The NHC gives the system a 50% chance to form in the next two days and 70% chance in the next seven.
Another system of disorganized showers and thunderstorms have formed around a tropical wave that emerged off the coast of Africa this week and is now locaeed several hundred miles west of the Cape Verde Islands.
“Environmental conditions appear only marginally favorable for some slow development through early next week while the system moves west-northwestward to northwestward into the central tropical Atlantic,” forecasters said.
The NHC gives it a 10% chance to form in the next two days and 30% chance in the next seven.
