Tropical Cyclone Could Form On Top Of Florida

TAMPA, FL — A low-pressure system just inland of Daytona Beach was producing showers, thunderstorms and tropical storm-force winds Tuesday afternoon as forecasters at the National Hurricane Center continued to track a second disturbance in the Atlantic Ocean and Tropical Storm Ian.

The system over Florida "is very close to having the organization required of a tropical cyclone, and advisories could be initiated later this afternoon," forecasters wrote in the hurricane center's 2 p.m. Tropical Weather Outlook report Tuesday. The low is expected to continue on a path that will bring it north-northwest at 10 to 15 mph Tuesday, "near and parallel to the northeast coast of Florida."

Forecasters say the storm has a 40 percent chance of developing more over the next 48 hours. "Regardless of development, strong gusty winds will continue over portions of the northeast Florida coast today, and heavy rains will continue to spread over central and northern Florida today and tonight."

In the Tampa Bay area, forecasters at the National Weather Service say there’s a strong chance of storms Tuesday afternoon through the daytime hours Wednesday with scattered storms in the cards Wednesday evening. Storm chances remain strong at 50 percent heading into the daytime hours Thursday, but dwindle to 20 percent in the overnight hours.

Another new disturbance had cropped up in the Atlantic as of Tuesday morning. That broad area of low pressure, associated with a tropical wave, was located near the Cabo Verde Islands. It is expected to witness slow development over the next few days as it moves west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph. As of Tuesday afternoon, forecasters gave the system a 50 percent chance of developing more over the next few days. It is too early to tell if the system will pose a threat to Florida. Should it develop enough to earn a name, it will be called Julia.

Tropical Storm Ian, the ninth named storm of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season, was located about 895 miles east-southeast of Bermuda Tuesday afternoon. The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 mph as it moved north-northwest at 13 mph. On its current projected path, Ian poses no immediate threat to the United States.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season peaks each year between mid-August and mid-October. While the season technically runs June 1 through Nov. 30, many of the major storms on record have occurred during the traditional eight-week peak.

To find out more about hurricane season and storm preparation in the Tampa Bay area, read these related Patch stories:

• Atlantic Hurricane Season 2016's Peak is Now
• Hurricane Season 2016: Where To Find Local Information
• 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Released
• Hurricane Season: How to Prepare
• 2016 Hurricane Names: Is Yours On the List?
• Tampa Bay 'Ripe for Disaster,' Hurricane Experts Say

To keep up with storm activity as the season develops, bookmark the National Hurricane Center’s website and keep an eye on your hometown Patch site for local information.

Image courtesy of the National Hurricane Center