Hurricane trackers have revealed the latest developments on two storms near the Atlantic as the intense hurricane season comes to an end.
But as Rafael has subsided, meteorologists are now on the lookout for a new weather phenomenon: possible Tropical Storm Sara.
The National Hurricane Center said Tuesday that it is tracking a tropical wave in the Caribbean that has an 80 percent chance of forming later this week.
Computer models have produced a variety of possibilities for the system, and some predictions show it could become Hurricane Sara in the Gulf of Mexico next week.
The NHC reported that there is a medium chance that Sara will become a tropical storm, and AccuWeather found that it could pose a major problem for people living in South Florida.
Sara could bring heavy rain and localized flash flooding to parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida and several others along the U.S. Gulf Coast by Thursday.
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said: ‘Get ready for Sara. “We expect the next tropical storm to develop in the Caribbean this week.”
Hurricane trackers revealed a storm developing in the Atlantic that could become Tropical Storm Sara by the end of the week
Tropical Storm Sara is likely to bring heavy rain and possible flooding to Louisiana, Arkansas and Florida.
Rafael made landfall early last week, mainly hitting the Cayman Islands and Cuba and also causing potentially deadly tsunamis off the coasts of southern Florida.
The storm was upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane when it reached the Caribbean, but was downgraded to a tropical storm when it slowed in the Gulf of Mexico.
“Don’t let your guard down just because the calendar says we’re approaching mid-November,” warned AccuWeather senior hurricane expert Alex DaSilva.
“Water conditions and temperatures in the tropics are still conducive to the formation of tropical storms in the final weeks of the hurricane season,” he continued.
“History shows that Florida faces a higher risk of tropical impacts than any other state during the month of November.”
The storm is currently moving across the Atlantic at speeds of 23 miles per hour and once wind speeds reach 39 miles per hour, it will become a tropical storm.
The storm will increase its wind speed between November 14 and 18 as it enters the Gulf of Mexico
The NHC reported there is a 40 percent chance the storm will become a tropical storm in the next 48 hours and parts of the U.S. can expect localized flash flooding early next week.
“Environmental conditions appear conducive to development, and a tropical depression is likely to form toward the end of the week as the system slowly moves westward toward the western Caribbean Sea,” the NHC said in an update.
As it grows, it will bring downpours, thunderstorms and flash flooding to the central Caribbean, including Hispaniola.
AccuWeather reported that record warm waters are creating the right environment for these storms to develop.
‘We still have exceptionally warm waters until mid-November. “Ocean heat content, or the depth that warm waters reach below the surface, is at record levels for this time of year in the Gulf of Mexico,” DaSilva said.
‘Ocean heat content is near record levels for mid-November in the Caribbean. These warm waters will provide additional fuel for any storms that may develop in the coming weeks.’
During the last two storms, Patty and Rafael, wind shear off the southern coast of the United States has protected southern states from experiencing significant inclement weather.
Wind shear can stop storms by removing the heat and moisture from the air necessary for a tropical storm or hurricane to develop.
“Storms will get a boost on Wednesday as wind shear begins to decrease,” Rayno said.
“A front will provide more upward motion midweek, helping these storms organize.”
