The Emergency Management Department of Florida announced that it was closely monitoring a tropical storm that’s brewing in the Atlantic and could have significant consequences for the Sunshine State.
The National Center for hurricanes The Miami-based company has trained its radars on a cloud forming off the coast of Honduras that has a 20% chance of forming in the next two days.
However, the situation could become even more serious as the probability of this disorder organizing and growing even stronger is estimated at a worrying 70%.
That system could become a tropical depression late this weekend or early next weekend, according to NHC experts. Its course would slowly take it north, entering the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
In light of this looming threat, Gov. Ron DeSantis has urged Florida residents to prepare for its potential impact.
However, computer models still disagree on how intense this weather phenomenon could be when it hits Florida’s west coast next week. The NHC has reported that there are notable differences between forecasting models.
For one, the American Global Forecast System (GFS) model does not exhibit a high degree of organization, leaving the disturbance in a relatively weak state as it makes its way to West Florida.
On the other hand, the European Medium-Range Weather Center (ECMWF) model paints a different picture, forecasting the disturbance in a more organized way as it makes its way to the Gulf Coast.
These announcements come just before the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, which is scheduled for September 10th. It is well known that the Atlantic Basin experiences the greatest tropical activity between mid-August and mid-October.
Right now, preparation is key. While we cannot predict with certainty the intensity or course of this tropical disturbance, it is better to be forewarned.
Make sure you have your emergency kit to hand, stay up-to-date with updates from the Emergency Management Department, and follow local authority recommendations.
Uncertainty is a constant in the world of storms, but preparation and safety never hurt.
