MIAMI — Hurricane season starts on Wednesday and it looks like we could be off to another quick start.
The National Hurricane Center on Tuesday said an area in the southern Gulf of Mexico now has a high chance of developing into at least a tropical depression over the next five days.
NHC increasing chances to high in the next 5 days for development in the NW Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico. I suspect we will see a PTC first as there's not a lot of time until it effects #florida and probably won't develop until just before. #flwx #weather #hurricaneseason pic.twitter.com/WMEdEkK2vn
— James Wieland 🏄🏻♂️ (@SurfnWeatherman) May 31, 2022
The NHC said the development could occur as the system moves over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and southeastern Gulf of Mexico.
"Regardless of development, locally heavy rainfall is likely across portions of the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala, & Belize during the next couple of days, spreading across western Cuba, southern Florida, & the Florida Keys on Friday & Saturday," the NHC said on Twitter.
Regardless of development, locally heavy rainfall is likely across portions of the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala & Belize over the next couple of days, spreading across western Cuba, southern Florida, & the Florida Keys on Friday & Saturday.
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) June 1, 2022
Latest: https://t.co/g9YgY2L6jU
8 PM EDT 31 May: A large area of disturbed weather has formed near the Yucatan Peninsula related to Agatha's remnants interacting with an upper-level trough over the Gulf of Mexico.
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) June 1, 2022
This system has a 40% 2-day & 70% 5-day chance of becoming a tropical depression as it moves NE. pic.twitter.com/SoNmIzSJ7P
There is a 40% chance of development in the next two days and 70% within the next five days.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
Agatha, this year's first named storm in the eastern Pacific, formed off Mexico's southern Pacific coast Sunday and rapidly gained power and made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on Monday. It has since dissipated across the mountains of Mexico.
Because the storm's current path would carry it over the narrow waist of Mexico’s isthmus, the hurricane center said there's a chance the storm’s remnants could reemerge over the Gulf of Mexico. If it becomes a named storm in the Atlantic, it would be Alex.
A few long range forecast models predict the tropical moisture leftover from Agatha will move into the southwestern Gulf of Mexico and slowly reorganize.
The EURO still has it moving over Florida, which would mean higher rain chances and abundant rainfall. The GFS model has shifted closer to Florida, but still with less rainfall than the EURO with most of the moisture staying south and east of the state.
Saturday's forecast will be rest on what happens with the potential tropical disturbance. For now, the forecast calls for the likelihood of showers and storms. Heavy rain could pile up and lead to flooding in spots.
