System off Florida’s coast could strengthen this weekend. Miami in for a wet few days.
The disturbance passing through the straits of Florida has a 70 percent chance of strengthening over the weekend, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said Thursday afternoon, but it still appears to pose no threat to land.
The system, which has an 80 percent chance of forming in the next five days, is predicted to sweep through the straights and head northeast. It could strengthen into a tropical or subtropical depression or storm north of the Bahamas.
If the system does strengthen, it would be called Arthur and be the sixth storm in a row to form before the season officially starts on June 1.
“An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate this system tomorrow, if necessary,” the forecaster wrote.
Early next week, forecasters said the system is likely to continue to head northeast and stay out to sea.
The Miami office of the National Weather Service said the system will bring wet and windy conditions to South Florida through Friday, including wind gusts of 30 to 35 miles per hour Thursday night and possible flooding rain.
Rip currents are likely along the Atlantic coast, the service said, and so are “near gale-force gusts” Thursday and Friday.
Several early season forecasts call for an above-average hurricane season, partially due to the record-breaking heat experienced in April.
This story was originally published May 14, 2020 at 9:14 AM.
