WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologists continue to track a tropical wave moving through the Atlantic Ocean, which will head into the Caribbean Sea this week.
The disturbance, called Invest 98-L, is located a few hundred miles east of the Windward Islands and continues to show signs of organization.
Additional development is expected, and a tropical depression is likely to form within the next few days as the system moves westward to west-northwestward at 15 to 20 mph across the eastern and central Caribbean Sea.
At 10 p.m. Tuesday, the system has a 60% chance to form in the next two days and 90% in the next five days.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
"Once it gets into the Caribbean, it'll head toward Jamaica, then computer models diverge a bit," WPTV First Alert Meteorologist John Gerard said. "Some turn it north to the eastern Gulf of Mexico later next week, some take it farther west."
Meteorologists will monitor this should it develop. Any potential threat to the U.S. coastline would be mid to late next week.
More Florida hurricane landfalls occur in October than in any other month, so it is the peak of the season for Floridians.
Hurricane Fiona hammers Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic
Category 3 Hurricane Fiona is the first major hurricane of the season and is expected to become a Category 4 storm as it moves away from the Bahamas.
According to the 5 p.m. Tuesday update from the National Hurricane Center, the storm has 115 mph winds and is moving north, northwest at 8 mph.
This general motion is expected to continue through Tuesday, followed by a turn toward the north Tuesday night or Wednesday.
On the forecast track, the center of Fiona will gradually move away from the Turks and Caicos Tuesday night and Wednesday, and then approach Bermuda late on Thursday.
Heavy rains around the center of Fiona will impact the Turks and Caicos through Tuesday evening with continued life-threatening flooding. Localized additional flash and urban flooding is possible in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 5 to 8 feet above normal tide levels along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds in the Turks and Caicos through Tuesday.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:
- Turks and Caicos
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
- Southeastern Bahamas, including the Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, the Inaguas, Mayaguana and the Ragged Islands
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:
- Bermuda
Localized coastal flooding is possible for the Southeastern Bahamas in areas of onshore winds through Tuesday evening.
