The National Weather Service as well as residents of Florida and Gulf Coast border states are watching a tropical system that could strengthen over the weekend. Right now there is a 50/50 chance that the system presently over the Bahamas will develop into anything significant.
High gusty winds and heavy rain seem to be probable over Florida with this system. We will continue to monitor for further development.
The other 2 systems on the map look to move directly westward and development chances are low.
From the NWS:
1. A surface trough located over the Turks and Caicos continues to produce widespread cloudiness and disorganized thunderstorms across the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos, and extending northward over the southwestern Atlantic for a few hundred miles. Ship reports continue to indicate that tropical-storm-force wind gusts are occurring in some of the heavier squalls. Limited development of this disturbance is expected during the next few days due to only marginally conducive upper-level winds while the system moves very slowly west-northwestward across the Bahamas. However, environmental conditions could become more favorable for development when the system moves over the Florida Straits and into the eastern Gulf of Mexico by Friday and over the weekend. Regardless of development, this disturbance will produce periods of locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds across the Bahamas through Thursday, and across Florida by late Friday and continuing into the weekend. * Formation chance through 48 hours...low...10 percent. * Formation chance through 5 days...medium...50 percent.
