ORLANDO, Fla. – A tropical disturbance approaching the Windward Islands has a very good chance to become a named storm, and the National Hurricane Center’s forecast cone shows Florida directly in its projected path.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the area of low pressure was about 380 miles east southeast of the Leeward Islands and 515 miles east southeast of San Juan., moving west northwest at 25 mph.
Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph. Formation chance in the next 48 hours is at 90 percent, according to the NHC.
Here is the 11 p.m. advisory and forecast track from the National Hurricane Center. Head to https://t.co/El9j1kWdef for more. pic.twitter.com/CcX7EPRipF
— Samara Cokinos (@CokinosSamaraWx) July 29, 2020
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“This system does not have a well-defined center of circulation -- yet,” News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said. “Environmental conditions are expected to become somewhat more conducive to become a tropical storm later Tuesday.”
The next named storm will be called Isaias.
“Regardless of development, heavy rain and gusty winds are likely across the Leeward Islands on Wednesday and will spread westward to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by Wednesday night and Thursday,” Bridges said.
Computer models show the system heading toward Florida and the Bahamas by the weekend.
Orlando-area forecast
Rain chances ramp up to 70% Tuesday in Central Florida, with highs in the mid-90s. The average high on this date is 92. The record high is 101, set in 1936.
The chance of rain will be 60% Wednesday before dipping to 30% from Thursday through Saturday.
Orlando has a yearly rain deficit of 2.71 inches, although there’s been a surplus of 3.35 inches since June 1.
Watch News 6 for more weather coverage.