Tropical Depression Nine has formed within the central Caribbean Sea, and the Florida Peninsula is already included within the cone of uncertainty for the system that’s more likely to turn out to be either Hurricane Hermine or Ian in the times ahead.
This tropical depression joins two other systems roaming the Atlantic Basin, including Hurricane Fiona, which can pummel Atlantic Canada this weekend, and Tropical Storm Gaston near the Azores. There are also two tropical disturbances, Invest 90L and Invest 99L, being monitored for development over the subsequent few days.
While there’s still rather a lot we don’t know concerning the way forward for Tropical Depression Nine, here’s every thing the FOX Forecast Center can let you know without delay ahead of this potential hurricane threat to the southeastern US.
Where is Tropical Depression Nine?
As of Friday morning, Tropical Depression Nine was within the central Caribbean Sea and centered greater than 600 miles east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and greater than 1,100 miles east-southeast of Havana, Cuba.
The newly formed tropical depression had maximum sustained winds of about 35 mph and was moving west-northwestward at 13 mph.
Once this method’s winds reach 39 mph or higher, it would turn out to be a tropical storm, and the National Hurricane Center will assign it the subsequent name on this yr’s naming list. That might be either Hermine or Ian, depending on whether this method or Invest 90L within the eastern tropical Atlantic becomes a tropical storm first.
The Hurricane Hunters are en route to Tropical Depression Nine to gather data that can be used to assist meteorologists refine their forecasts.
What’s the forecast for Tropical Depression Nine?
Tropical Depression Nine is forecast to turn out to be a tropical storm later Friday.
Only slow intensification is forecast over the subsequent day or two, followed by more significant intensification this weekend and early next week.
The present projection from the NHC shows this method becoming a hurricane within the northwestern Caribbean Sea either late this weekend or early next week.
By next Tuesday or Wednesday, this likely hurricane is predicted to be situated somewhere between the eastern Gulf of Mexico and near or over the Florida Peninsula.
Here’s every thing to learn about Hurricane Ian:
In line with the FOX Forecast Center, Tropical Depression Nine continues to be battling wind shear — winds that change direction and speed at various heights — which is keeping thunderstorms related to the system from growing, and that’s expected to proceed through Friday.
Nevertheless, the NHC determined the system had no less than turn out to be organized enough to be declared a tropical depression Friday morning.
This weekend, Tropical Depression Nine is predicted to maneuver into an area of the Caribbean Sea containing much lower wind shear and an abundant supply of deeply warm water.
Water temperatures on this a part of the Caribbean Sea are within the upper 80s, which is a few degrees above average, providing ample fuel for this method to accentuate over the approaching days.
Nevertheless, one inhibiting factor might be land interaction with Cuba early next week before it reaches the Gulf of Mexico toward the center of the week.
What are the expected impacts of Tropical Depression Nine within the Caribbean?
The fundamental concern from Tropical Depression Nine is currently heavy rain in northern Venezuela, northern Colombia and the so-called ABC island chain of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Several inches of rainfall is predicted in these areas, based on the FOX Forecast Center.
Flooding rain could also impact Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic starting as soon as this weekend.
Depending on the precise track and intensity of Tropical Depression Nine, there may be tropical storm-force (39-plus-mph) or hurricane-force (74-plus-mph) winds in these areas.
What threat will Tropical Depression Nine pose to Florida and the US Gulf Coast?
Tropical Depression Nine is predicted to be steered in the overall direction of the eastern Gulf of Mexico and near the Florida Peninsula by the center of next week.
An awesome majority of computer forecast models suggest the storm will likely be a hurricane because it tracks toward the mainland US.
Nevertheless, forecasts for newly developed tropical cyclones are difficult, so don’t be surprised if the forecast for Tropical Depression Nine undergoes several changes — a few of which might be significant — over the subsequent several days.
The solutions from the pc models currently range from the eastern Gulf of Mexico to close or off Florida’s Atlantic coast, so everyone on this general zone should begin their preparations now within the event of a possible hurricane strike next week.
So the underside line is that it’s still too early to know exactly where this method is heading, but know that there’s a growing threat of a robust hurricane impacting the southeastern US across the middle of next week.
The FOX Forecast Center can be keeping an in depth eye on this method because it strengthens and tracks across the Caribbean in the times ahead.
