A massive tropical wave forming off the U.S. coast has hurricane trackers on high alert, and Florida could be next.
The tropical wave, named Invest 97L by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), now has a 70 percent chance of developing and could potentially evolve into a full-blown hurricane.
The system is currently dumping rain on Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, but could soon target the Sunshine State.
Meteorologist George Waldenberger said Channel 9 News It will most likely develop this weekend or early next week.
“For now, an increased chance of heavier rainfall is expected on Sunday, Monday and possibly beyond,” he said. “Severe thunderstorms are possible with this disturbance nearby in the same time period.”
A massive tropical wave forming off the US coast has hurricane trackers on high alert, and Florida could be next to be hit
The tropical wave, named Invest 97L by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), now has a 70 percent chance of developing and could potentially become a full-blown hurricane.
Waldenberger said he is still “watching to see where the circulation emerges and how organized this system can become early next week.”
“Water temperatures are in the mid-80s, which adds plenty of fuel for this system to become Debby, possibly even a hurricane late this weekend and early next week near our West Coast,” Chief Meteorologist Tom Terry told Channel 9 News Thursday morning.
“Heavy rainfall and worse conditions are possible under this scenario in the Sunshine State,” he added.
The tropical storm currently lacks a well-defined center, but is showing signs of organization as it moves toward Florida.
Forecasters expect the storm to strengthen as it moves away from Cuba, and that warm waters could fuel its wrath late this weekend into early next week.
The tropical storm has already drenched northern Caribbean islands and is expected to soak Cuba and the western Bahamas on Friday.
The system is currently dumping rain on Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, but could soon target the Sunshine State (pictured: Rain storm at Veteran’s Memorial Marina Park on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in downtown Safety Harbor)
A woman walks on Manresa beach, covered in garbage after the passage of Hurricane Beryl, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on July 3, 2024
Damaged boats lie on land and in the water following Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Fort Myers, Fla.
Cubans repair a roof in San Juan y Martinez, Pinar del Rio province, on September 27, 2022 after the passage of Hurricane Ian
The forecast for Florida calls for torrential rain and gusty thunderstorms to affect the Keys and southern peninsula on Saturday, with an increased risk of tropical storm or hurricane conditions beginning Sunday. AccuWeather reported.
The storm’s exact path remains uncertain. It could hit Florida’s east coast or veer into the Gulf of Mexico, depending on how quickly it intensifies.
This comes after at least eight people were killed and more than 2.7 million were left without power when Hurricane Beryl swept through Texas and the Mississippi Valley earlier this month.
And after weeks of relative calm, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that its successor, named Debby, could be brewing east of the Lesser Antilles.
“Chances of tropical development have increased to 40 percent in seven days,” the Texas Storm Chasers tweeted.
A contractor inspects a Dallas client’s home for structural damage after Hurricane Beryl moved through the area in Galveston, Texas, July 8, 2024.
“People anywhere along the Florida coast should be on the lookout for this. August looks like a busy month, as usual!”
The NHC first sounded the alarm on Friday after detecting the tropical disturbance and seeing that it would likely collide with an approaching tropical wave.
The chances of it developing have nearly tripled since then, with Weather Jamaica issuing a code orange and warning that “Debby is imminent.”
Forecast maps show the storm moving across the Caribbean and Florida if it develops, but warn it could make landfall anywhere in the Gulf of Mexico or the Carolinas.
A large area of high pressure near Bermuda could force it toward Texas, while another over the southern Plains could force it up the East Coast.