The system had not developed a center of circulation and its winds remained below the 39 miles per hour needed for tropical storm status.
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Kate Guillet, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Jacksonville, said that as the system passes far south, air moisture will build in the Marion County to increase rain chances. Odds of it becoming a storm when it nears Florida are 60 percent, forecasters said.
People in Florida and along the eastern Gulf Coast and should keep an eye on a tropical wave near the Bahamas and Cuba, forecasters said.
Tropical Depression FOURTEEN-E is now Tropical Storm Madeline, gathering strength 1,235 miles east southeast of Hilo and moving west northwest at 12 mph.
Invest 99L, however, could cause problems into next week as it enters the Gulf. That is when it is expected to cross the Florida Keys and into the eastern Gulf.
This new system is no threat to the USA mainland, but could be a threat to Hawaii by the mid to end of next week. However, I’m starting to believe the models are seeing a developing upper-low near Bermuda as a feature that will drift westward, weaken the ridge, and essentially help “99L” turn northward. Additional strengthening is forecast and Lester is likely to become a hurricane on Friday.
Please remember that forecast errors at 4-5 days and beyond can still be quite high, so this is not an all clear.
Experts say swimmers along the Jersey Shore should be cautious this weekend.
Right now, it ultimately faces two possible scenarios, based on current computer modeling.
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The important thing is that we put everything in a proper context.
