TROPICAL wave “Invest 99L” will not produce as much rain and wind over the southeast Bahamas as was originally predicated, Deputy Director of the Department of Meteorology Basil Dean said Friday. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours with Gaston expected to become a hurricane again by Saturday. Gaston has the potential to re-intensify over the weekend – perhaps to a major hurricane.
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Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 40 miles per hour with higher gusts.
The cluster of storms off the coast of Louisiana, which is moving west, is of more immediate interest to Texas. Asuncion, Paraguay, is forecast to receive between 35 to 45 millimeters of rain with a high of 89 (F)/ 31 (C).
Experts say swimmers along the Jersey Shore should be cautious this weekend.
Another system now located over the north-central Gulf of Mexico has a 10 percent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours, the NHC added.
As the storm moves northwest over warm water, there’s still a chance it powers up in the Gulf of Mexico and thrashes the gulf coast.
Meanwhile, to the east, Tropical Storm Gaston continued to move to the northwest with winds of 65 miles per hour. Until Invest 99-L actually develops into a tropical depression or storm the computer models will continue to have a hard time with the forecast.
While Palm Beach County is unlikely to feel the full brunt of a tropical cyclone this weekend, forecasters are warning that deep moisture pulled across South Florida by a tropical wave could mean excessive rains and blustery winds.
The system is expected to drench the northeast Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Hispaniola.
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“We’re looking at increased moisture, increased rain chances even if it does stay south of us”, he said, noting that rain chances would be 60 to 70 percent each day, instead of the normal 30 to 40 percent.
