ORLANDO, Fla. – The tropics have been hot for months during this record-setting hurricane season, and they’re expected to stay that way in the coming weeks.
As of Tuesday morning, the National Hurricane Center is keeping tabs on two disturbances, one of which could soon become Tropical Storm Laura.
The first system is a tropical wave over the eastern Caribbean Sea.
The disturbance is moving west at about 20 mph and is forecast to continue to move quickly over the eastern and central Caribbean Sea during the next couple of days, limiting significant development.
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“After that time, however, the system is forecast to move more slowly westward across the western Caribbean, where upper-level winds could become more conducive for the development of a tropical depression during the latter part of this week,” News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said.
Regardless of development, locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds are expected over portions of the Windward and southern Leeward islands Tuesday morning.
The Hurricane Center says the system has a 70% chance of development over the next five days.
Meanwhile, a broad area of low pressure located a little over 700 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands is producing a concentrated area of showers and thunderstorms.
NHC is monitoring two systems across the tropics that have a high chance of becoming a tropical depression later this week or this weekend. For more information, visit https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/yXcFJfkgwq
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 18, 2020
Environmental conditions are conducive for further development, and a tropical depression is likely to form within the next two days while the system moves west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph across the central and western portions of the Atlantic.
The hurricane center says the system has a 90% chance of tropical development over the next five days.
“The system will likely get the name Laura,” Bridges said.
The wave in the eastern Caribbean Sea could become Marco.
The next named storm after Marco will be called Nana.
Central Florida forecast
It will be hot and stormy Tuesday on Election Day in Central Florida.
Orlando will reach a high near 94, with a 60% coverage of rain. The average high on this date is 92. The record high is 101, set in 1916.
“Storms will hit after 2 p.m. Tuesday,” Bridges said. “There’s a 70% coverage of rain the rest of the week.”
Highs will also stay in the mid-90s through the weekend.
Orlando’s yearly rain deficit stands at 1.90 inches.