GOES-East view of the Gulf of Mexico, October 4, 2024 Credit: NOAA/NESDIS
Another Tropical System Is Coming
We don’t want to jump the gun so this update will be short and sweet.
Another tropical system will form in the SW Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. It is too early to pinpoint the exact location of the center and if it will become yet another named storm to strike land, including Florida, mid to late next week.
GOES-East view of the Gulf of Mexico, October 4th
Bob Bunting, CEO of the CAC, has been looking at the potential for several days and he believes, at a minimum, the southern two thirds of our state is likely to face another extreme precipitation event.
“It’s October and it is the worst month for storms on the west coast of Florida as systems form in the southwest Gulf or Caribbean and then make a target someplace along the west coast.”
At the moment a frontal system is likely to set up in the northern Gulf of Mexico and steer the storm system eastward toward the southern two thirds of Florida. It is possible a named storm could evolve early next week.
Because the Gulf has been churned up by Helene, the sea surface temperatures are a bit cooler and that would limit very rapid development that has become the norm in recent years.
For now the action is to stay turned and make sure you are planning for a storm next week. A lot of rain will be coming to portions of Florida and maybe a named storm too.
NOAA/National Weather Service precipitation 7-day forecast as of October 3rd, 2024