Chances Increase for Tropical System to Threaten Florida, says National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has stated that the likelihood of a tropical depression or storm developing in the Caribbean and heading towards the Gulf of Mexico has continued to increase. According to the NHC, the area of low pressure with shower and thunderstorm activity in the northwestern Caribbean has shown signs of organization on Saturday.
Forecasters believe that the environmental conditions are favorable for the further development of this system in the next few days. They predict that a tropical depression is likely to form late this weekend or early next week while it moves towards the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The NHC has advised people in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, western Cuba, and Florida to closely monitor the progress of this system.
The forecast path indicates that the system may curl northward towards Florida’s Gulf Coast by Tuesday or Wednesday. The NHC has given it a 60% chance of forming in the next two days and a 90% chance in the next seven days. If it reaches named-storm status, it could be called Tropical Storm Idalia.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has instructed the Florida Emergency Management team to prepare for the potential tropical system approaching from the Yucatán Peninsula. Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and make necessary preparations for possible impacts early next week.
In addition to this system, the NHC is also tracking Tropical Storm Franklin, the only remaining named storm from a recent flurry of tropical storms. As of Friday night, Franklin was located 320 miles east-northeast of Grand Turk Island and 690 miles south of Bermuda. It was moving east-northeast at 8 mph with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. Although gradual strengthening is expected, the current path of Franklin keeps it away from land.
This would make Franklin the second hurricane of the season, which has already seen eight named storms. The NHC is closely monitoring two other systems as well. One system, several hundred miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands in the central tropical Atlantic, has a chance of becoming a depression or storm. Environmental conditions are expected to become more conducive for development over the weekend. The NHC gives it a 20% chance of forming in the next two days and a 40% chance in the next seven.
Furthermore, another system is predicted to form from a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa. Forecasters believe that there could be slow development of this system while it moves westward across the tropical Atlantic late next week. The NHC has given it a 20% chance of forming in the next seven days.
As the peak of hurricane season approaches, it is important for residents in potentially affected areas to stay informed and prepared for any potential impacts from these tropical systems.
Source: [National Hurricane Center](https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1695132893037859293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)