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Tropical Storm Gaston expected to become hurricane again

“Upper-level winds are not expected to be particularly conducive for development during the next day or so”, Hurricane Specialist Robbie Berg explained from the National Hurricane Center.

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A system that’s been churning in the Atlantic for days will likely remain weak for now, as it continues to struggle to develop into a tropical cyclone. On Sunday, as the tropical wave approaches, easterly winds will increase a bit particularly over Collier Co.

Regardless of development, heavy rains, with the potential to cause flash floods and mudslides, are likely over Hispaniola on Thursday. 99L is expected to make landfall in Southern Florida on Sunday with heavy rainfall and gusty winds. The wave should track near south Florida by late weekend, possibly through the Florida Straits and then into the Gulf of Mexico by Monday.

Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner said, “Florida’s Primary Election is on Tuesday, August 30”.

The last hurricane to strike Florida was Wilma in 2005, which made landfall in the U.S. the same year as Katrina. Now is the time to gather supplies and ensure our families, homes and businesses are fully prepared for any potential storm impact, ” Scott said Thursday afternoon.

Continue to watch this through the weekend and have preparations completed should a storm move our way.

The storm is also dealing with a lot of dry air to the northwest of the center. The storm’s maximum sustained winds are near 50 miles per hour (85 kph).

Gaston was moving northwest at 17 miles per hour. As of now, recent forecast data from the National Hurricane Center suggest that we could get more rain next week associated with a low pressure system off the east coast of Florida. Gaston is expected to stay over open water.

The storm is heading in the general direction of Bermuda and might briefly become a hurricane again though is not now expected to hit land. For Category 3 or stronger hurricanes, both parishes have plans that would use buses to take evacuees who lacked other options to shelters in Monroe.

With five named storms forming early this year and the height of the season just getting sta…

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For now, Invest 99L looks like a poor excuse for a tropical weather system that is inspiring trepidation in a coastal state like Florida.

State officials encourage early voting with bad weather coming