As of 8 a.m. Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said the chances of a system in the Caribbean moving toward the Gulf of Mexico to develop into a tropical depression or storm and threaten Florida continue to increase.
The NHC said the low pressure area, currently located over the northwestern Caribbean, will continue to show signs of a system Saturday with showers and thunderstorms.
“Environmental conditions appear favorable for further development of this system over the next few days, and a tropical depression may develop late this week or early next week, while it moves generally northward over the eastern Gulf of Mexico,” forecasters said. “Interests in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, western Cuba, and Florida should monitor the system’s progress.”
8AM 26 Aug: Disturbance in the Yucatan Channel continues to show signs of organization. Interest in the Yucatan, W Cuba and Florida should continue to monitor the system’s progress over the weekend. Stay updated with the latest information https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ pic.twitter.com/I3aRhxenYs
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 26, 2023
The forecast track curls north toward Florida’s Gulf Coast by Tuesday or Wednesday.
The NHC gives a 70% chance over the next two days and a 90% chance over the next seven days.
If it rotates to named storm status, it could become Tropical Storm Italia.
“I’ve directed @KevinGuthrieFL & the FL Emergency Management Team to prepare for a possible tropical system currently moving into the Yucatan Peninsula,” Gov. Ron DeSantis posted Thursday night on the X. “Residents should remain vigilant and prepare for possible impacts early next week.”
The NHC continues to monitor Tropical Storm Franklin, the lone named storm from the 48-hour tropical storm 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 115 miles.
“A sharp turn northward, increasing forward motion is expected Friday night and Saturday, with northerly or north-northwesterly motion over the western Atlantic continuing into early next week,” forecasters said. “Gradual strengthening is forecast, and Franklin will become a hurricane by the end of the week.”
its path. However, it keeps it clear of the ground.
It will become the second hurricane of the season, which has produced eight named storms so far.
The NHC was monitoring two other systems that could become either a depression or a storm.
An area of low pressure with scattered showers and thunderstorms several hundred miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands in the central tropical Atlantic.
“Environmental conditions will become more favorable for development over the weekend, and a tropical depression may develop early next week.
“The system is generally moving northwestward over the central subtropical Atlantic,” forecasters said.
The NHC gives a 20% chance over the next two days and a 40% chance over the next seven days.
Also, the NHC predicts that a new system will form from a tropical wave moving off the west coast of Africa.
“Some slow development of this system is possible late next week while the system moves westward across the tropical Atlantic,” forecasters said.
The NHC gives a 20% chance of developing over the next seven days.
