Tropic Developments Watched As Cold Front Heads To FL: Forecasters

FLORIDA — About a week after Hurricane Milton devastated Florida, two areas of possible tropic development are being watched, with one likely to grow into a tropical depression in a week, forecasters said.

Invest 94L is moving across the Atlantic while producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As it moves west, “environmental conditions could become more conducive for gradual development by the middle to latter part of this week” NHC forecasters said. “A tropical depression could form as the system begins moving west-northwestward and approaches or moves near the Leeward Islands late this week.”

The system has a 60 percent chance of strengthening into a tropical depression within the next seven days, NHC said.

Forecasters are also watching an area of low pressure in the western Caribbean Sea, which has a 30 percent chance of developing over the next seven days, likely by the middle to later parts of the week, the NHC said.

Some development is expected as this system moves west-northwest over water toward northern Central America, forecasters said. It’s expected to cause locally heavy rainfall regardless of development.

There are six weeks left in the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

Between Friday and Sunday, the Atlantic weather system will reach conditions that help it become a tropical rainstorm, AccuWeather said.

"It is possible for the feature to ramp up quickly to a tropical depression, tropical storm and hurricane as its core approaches or passes near the Leewards late this week," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. "But, as this system travels farther to the west, whatever it becomes, could run into more hostile conditions for strengthening and organization."

A path into Florida appears to be blocked for either storm system for now, the weather agency said, but that could change.

Meanwhile, a cold front is sweeping into Florida late Tuesday night into Wednesday. This will drop day-time highs to the 70s starting Wednesday, according to ClickOrlando.com. And skies will be mostly clear for the rest of the week.

“Sunny skies with seasonal temps expected today,” the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. “Highs mid-week will top out in the low 70’s north to low 80’s south and lows on Wednesday and Thursday night will dip into the 50’s and 60’s.”