ORLANDO, Fla. – A tropical depression picked up speed Thursday as expected and became Tropical Storm Nate.
The system has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and is moving northwest at 12 mph. The storm was located close to the coast of eastern Honduras as of 11 p.m.
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The Fishel track has shifted farther to the west, putting the cone of uncertainty from New Orleans all the way over to Florida's big bend.
On Wednesday, Marion County was in the path of the track; because of the shift to the west Marion County is no longer included.
Many of the models have the system farther to the west today in agreement with that track.
The News 6 weather team will continue to watch is the track changes in the coming days. Expect some sort of landfall as a possible Category 1 hurricane by Sunday afternoon or evening somewhere in the panhandle or Louisiana.
Tropical moisture brings heavy rain to coastal counties
News 6 is pinpointing an area of low pressure in South Florida that continues to stream moisture into Central Florida.
Rain chances will be high for the next several days. A 70 percent coverage of showers and storms for Thursday and Friday is expected and a 60 percent coverage of showers and storms for Saturday and for Sunday. Columbus Day on Monday will bring a 40 percent coverage of rain.
There’s a coastal flood advisory in effect until 4 a.m. Friday, high surf advisory in effect until 4 p.m. on Thursday and a small craft advisory in effect until 4 a.m. on Friday.
There are lots of issues at the coast, including rip currents.
"It will not be a good weekend to go to the beach as rain chances and rip currents as well as high seas will be a big factor," News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said.
High temperatures will be a little below average on Thursday with a high of 84 in Orlando. The average high is 87 degrees. Orlando only warmed to 82 degrees Wednesday.
On Wednesday in Orlando, .07 inches of rain fell putting the area rain deficit down to .21 inches since the first of the year.