National Hurricane Center monitoring 2 tropical storms, third wave with chance of development

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s beginning to look a lot like hurricane season.

Rain chances remain in Central Florida’s forecast for the weekend as the National Hurricane Center is monitoring three areas in the tropics.

“It is an active scene out there as we have two tropical storms and one area of low pressure off the coast of Africa,” News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said Friday.

Pinpointing the tropics

Gonzalo

As of 10 p.m. Friday, Gonzalo is still a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds at 40 mph. It is moving west at 17 mph. Gonzalo is about 285 miles east of the southern Windward Islands and is expected to really weaken when it enters the Caribbean Sea. It could strengthen a bit before then, according to the NHC.

“There is considerable uncertainty in the intensity forecast, but some strengthening is possible during the next day or so before Gonzalo reaches the southern Windward Islands, " the 5 p.m. advisory said. “Weakening is expected after Gonzalo moves into the Caribbean Sea, and the cyclone is expected to dissipate by the middle of next week.”

As of now, it looks like the storm will not impact Florida.

Hanna

The National Hurricane Center is also watching Tropical Storm Hanna.

Hanna has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and is moving west northwest at 10 mph. It is 190 miles east of Corpus Christi, Texas.

A storm surge is in effect for Baffin Bay to Sargent Texas, a hurricane warning is in effect for Baffin Bay to Mesquite Bay, and a Tropical storm Warning is in effect for the Rio Grande to Baffin Bay and Mesquite Bay to San Luis Pass

The system became a tropical storm Thursday night, making it the earliest eighth named storm on record, according to News 6 meteorologist Jonathan Kegges.

According to Kegges, the eighth named storm doesn’t form usually form until much later into hurricane season.

“On average, the eighth storm of the season develops Sept. 24,” Kegges said. “We are two months ahead of schedule.”

It could bring flooding rain to far south Texas but it will not impact Florida, according to Bridges.

Third tropical wave

The National Hurricane Center is also keeping an eye on a tropical wave located near the west coast of Africa.

According to Bridges, it is expected to move westward across the tropical Atlantic during the next several days. Some development of the system is possible early next week when it reaches the western tropical Atlantic.

So far, the Hurricane Center is giving it a 40% chance of development within the next five days and no chance within the next two.

Kegges said while it’s still too early to know if it will develop and what areas it could affect, the area is certainly worth monitoring.

Orlando-area forecast

Central Florida’s rain chances will be a little lower Friday than on Thursday at 40% as the east coast seabreeze pushes inland with an easterly wind throughout the day that could also bring onshore additional showers.

“Expect a high of 92 degrees, which is our average high for Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” Bridges said.

Highs will stay near 92 into next week with increasing rain chances to 60% by Sunday and Monday and on into Tuesday.

On Thursday, Orlando saw a high of 86 degrees, well below the record of 98 set in 1962. Orlando also saw .49 inches of rain Thursday, bringing the deficit to 1.93 inches since Jan. 1. The summer months have been particularly wet, with a surplus of 4.12 inches of rain since June 1.

The record high for Friday is 99 degrees, set in 1892, according to Bridges.

“Once again, we will be nowhere near that record with an average high of 92 degrees,” Bridges said.