ORLANDO, Fla. – A cluster of storms in the Caribbean is expected to develop into a hurricane in the coming days as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico on a projected path to Florida.
Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 continues to organize in the Caribbean, the National Hurricane Center said. The disturbance is forecast to become a hurricane on Wednesday, with additional strengthening expected.
The NHC on Monday designated the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone 9, allowing the NHC to issue advisories for systems that aren’t yet tropical depressions or storms but could bring winds of 39 mph or more to land within 48 hours.
As of Monday evening at 11 p.m., the disturbance had maximum wind speeds of 35 mph and was moving north-northwest at 6 mph.
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A hurricane watch was in effect for the Cuban province of Pinar del Rio and eastern Mexico from Cabo Catoche to Tulum. A tropical storm warning was in effect for eastern Mexico from Río Lagartos to Tulum and for the Cuban provinces of Artemisa, Pinar del Río and the Isle of Youth.
The latest computer models pick up a broad low in the Western Caribbean early in the week, threading the Yucatan Channel by Tuesday.
This current track takes the system over very warm waters called the loop current. Ocean temperatures at this point of the year hover between 86-88 degrees Fahrenheit.
Models start to differ a bit by Wednesday but still show an overall landfall along the west coast of Florida by Thursday. The NHC said a northwest motion is expected on Tuesday and Tuesday night before a faster north, north-northeast motion on Wednesday and Thursday.
One big factor at play will be the timing and position of an upper low by the end of the week.
This weather feature could play an important role on how much of a easterly track Invest 97L will take by the end of the week.
Hurricane Hunters headed into the cluster of storms Monday afternoon to gather data.
Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday, according to the NHC.
Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, a tropical wave between western Africa and the Cabo Verde Islands is expected to develop this week.
Environmental conditions are favorable for development and the tropical wave could become a tropical depression by mid-week or the end of the week as it moves west-northwest across the Atlantic.
It has a 70% chance of development in the next seven days.
The next name on the list is Helene.
Hurricane season runs through November.
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