ORLANDO, Fla. – The tropics are poppin', that’s for sure.
Tropical Depression 13 on Friday strengthened into Tropical Storm Laura, but its projected path has moved west and now does not include Central Florida.
Laura is still forecast to become a Category 1 hurricane off Florida’s west coast next week. The system could make landfall near Florida’s Panhandle on Wednesday.
As of Friday at 11 p.m., Tropical Storm Laura was 195 miles east-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The system has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.
“On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move near or over portions of the Leeward Islands tonight, near or over Puerto Rico Saturday morning, and near the northern coast of Hispaniola Saturday night and early Sunday,” the National Hurricane Center wrote in its latest advisory.
Landfall somewhere along the Gulf Coast is possible, according to forecasters.
[BATTLING GULF STORMS: What could happen if they get close together?]
This would be wild if it happened and it is possible. Euro shows Laura and T.D. 14 side-by-side in the North Gulf Monday evening. Would be an insane satellite image regardless of how strong they become. #flwx pic.twitter.com/LyOr6RbGgB
— Jonathan Kegges (@JonathanKegges) August 21, 2020
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla and Montserrat, the northern coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the border with Haiti and the northern coast of Haiti from Le Mole St. Nicholas to the border with the Dominican Republic.
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning, in this case within the next 12 to 24 hours.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for the central Bahamas.
Recent forecast cones show Laura could be a Category 1 hurricane well off Tampa on Tuesday but the latest models appear to be in agreement that the system could miss Florida and make landfall somewhere along the Gulf Coast. That doesn’t, however, guarantee the Sunshine State won’t feel any impacts.
“If this track holds, it’s better news for Central Florida, but we still can’t rule out a few gusty winds and the possibility of some rotating storms,” News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said. “As always, be prepared and stay tuned for updates.”
Here is the 11 p.m. advisory and forecast track for #Laura from the National Hurricane Center. Head to https://t.co/2DMpPv6ZyI for more. pic.twitter.com/a14pY0jpWr
— Jonathan Kegges (@JonathanKegges) August 22, 2020
Meanwhile, Tropical Depression 14 was upgraded to Tropical Storm Marco at 11 p.m. Friday. Marco was 180 miles southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, with sustained winds of 40 mph. It was moving northwest at 13 mph on a projected path toward Houston, where it could make landfall as a tropical storm after becoming a Category 1 hurricane.
Looking down the road to next week, the forecast calls for both systems to possibly make landfall simultaneously along the Gulf Coast. Although this occurrence is unusual, Laura and Marco′s proximity could make it even more rare by causing the Fujiwhara effect. Here’s what could happen if the storms battle it out in the Gulf.
Orlando-area forecast
Rain chances will be 60% Friday in Central Florida, with a high in the low 90s.
Sea breeze storms will pop up each afternoon.
Rain chances will be 60% through the weekend, with highs in the mid-90s.
The average high on this date is 91. The record high is 99, set in 1900.
Orlando has a yearly rain deficit of 2.28 inches.