WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As we start the last official month of hurricane season on Friday, the tropics remain active.
We now have a high chance for something to develop in the Caribbean either late this weekend or early next week, plus a low chance for another disturbance near Puerto Rico.
The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor an area in the western Caribbean. A tropical depression is likely to develop at some point over the weekend and slowly lift north, northwest.
Some impacts are possible here in south Florida, but it's still too early to know the extent of those impacts until the storm actually forms. All options are on the table at this point, the likely scenario appears to be scattered downpours and gusty winds by the middle of next week.
But this is not etched in stone. Rough seas, rip currents and high surf will continue to make for very difficult boating conditions.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologist James Wieland said that, basically, both of these areas will merge as they move toward the Gulf of Mexico late next week. Both the Euro and GFS ensemble models show this general motion.
"What we're concerned about is how far north will they get?" Wieland said. "And that will lead to whatever impacts we may see. We're not gonna see any impacts through Election Day. It will be more like mid to late week."
Wieland said that, at a minimum, we will get an increase in rain and tropical air as it moves by mid to late next week.
The latest model runs have a weaker system in the Gulf of Mexico late next week.
As usual, until something forms, details will be fuzzy, so stay tuned over the next few days!
