Heavy rain continues over southern Florida on Friday night, while Potential Tropical Cyclone One moves slowly across the Gulf of Mexico, but the system may not develop into an organized tropical storm before passing through Florida.
One of the first external bands from the system approached coastal Collier County in the middle of the morning and was expected to bring heavy rain and gusts of wind to the area, according to National Weather Service Miami.
The storm continues to linger just below the threshold of becoming the first named storm of the 2022 hurricane season in the Atlantic, according to the latest advice from the National Hurricane Center.
The system is expected to develop a well-defined center and be strengthened slightly late this weekend and early next week across the western Atlantic, according to the 23-time announcement from the National Hurricane Center. A system turns into a tropical storm when sustained winds reach 39 mph.
No change in status or strength is expected before the disturbance moves across Florida. Further strengthening is possible after the system moves east of Florida across the western Atlantic on Saturday night and Sunday.
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The system, which is currently a tropical rainstorm with tropical storms, will organize slowly and is likely to turn into tropical storm Alex over the waters around Florida or perhaps just above the Sunshine State itself, according to AccuWeather.
Here is the latest update from NHC from June 3 at. 23:00:
Potential Tropical Cyclone One
- Location: 285 miles southwest of Fort Myers
- Maximum wind speed: 40 mph
- Direction: northeast at 12 mph
- Next announcement: at
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Will the system strengthen for Tropical Storm Alex?
Data from Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters indicate maximum sustained winds of 40 mph with higher gusts.
No change in status or strength is expected before the disturbance moves across Florida, but the system is expected to develop a well-defined center and strengthen a little late this weekend and early next week across the western Atlantic.
When is the tropical storm expected to reach Florida?
The system is moving northeast near 12 mph.
On the forecast track, the system was to move across the southern and central parts of the Florida Peninsula on Saturday and then across the southwest Atlantic North of the northwestern Bahamas late Saturday through Sunday.
Depending on how quickly the storm intensifies, minor coastal flooding could develop Friday and continue Saturday across Florida and the Keys, according to AccuWeather forecasts.
Much of the rain is in front of the center. As it crosses the state, the weather could improve markedly Saturday afternoon in southwest Florida. The central and southern counties should be primarily dry, sunny and warm on Sundays.
What will be the impact of the tropical system on Florida?
Heavy rain will begin to affect central Florida, southern Florida and the Keys today through Saturday and affect the northwestern Bahamas overnight through Saturday.
The Hurricane Center projects 4 to 8 inches of rain over central and southern Florida. Some areas across South Florida and the Keys could receive 12 inches.
AccuWeather forecasts forecast higher rainfall.
An area from the Keys to the Everglades, along with the Miami area, is likely to receive 8 to 12 inches of rain with an AccuWeather Local StormMax ™ of 20 inches. Much of that rain can fall in 24 hours and can cause flooding on streets and highways, AccuWeather said.
Tropical storm conditions are expected in the forecast area of Florida tonight and Saturday.
Isolated tornadoes are possible over southern Florida from tonight and continue until Saturday.
The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising water moving inland from the shoreline.
Areas under tropical storm guards or warnings
A tropical storm warning is in effect for:
- Florida Keys including Dry Tortugas
- Florida Bay
- The west coast of Florida south of the middle of the Longboat Key to Card Sound Bridge
- Florida’s East Coast South of Volusia / Brevard County Line to Card Sound Bridge *
- Lake Okeechobee
- The Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, Havana and Mayabeque
- Northwest Bahamas
A tropical storm wall is in effect for:
- The Cuban provinces of Matanzas and the Isle of Youth
A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
A tropical storm wall means that tropical storm conditions are possible somewhere within the guard area within 48 hours.
Weather clocks and warnings issued for your area
Key Announcements issued by the Hurricane Center on Potential Tropical Cyclone One
- Heavy rain associated with the system is expected across western Cuba, where life-threatening lightning floods and mudslides are possible.
- Heavy rain will affect parts of Central Florida, South Florida and the Florida Keys today and continue until Saturday. Significant lightning and urban flooding is possible across southern Florida and in the Keys. Flash and urban flooding are also possible across the northwestern Bahamas.
- Tropical storm conditions are expected in the forecast area of western Cuba today and tonight, in Florida tonight and Saturday and in the northwestern Bahamas on Saturday. Tropical storm conditions are also possible in the guard area of western Cuba today and tonight.
Track Potential Tropical Cyclone One on radar
Real-time tropical tracking:
This automatically updated graphic shows you real-time tropical activity:
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