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Gaston strengthens, warning for North Carolina

As of Monday morning, forecasters anticipated the storm would move into the Gulf of Mexico in the early part of the week before taking an eastward turn toward Florida’s Gulf Coast or Panhandle. However, coastal residents should continue to monitor to the latest forecasts for this system closely. Should the depression progress, it will be officially called Tropical Storm Hermine.

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Tropical Depression Eight is located about 230 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.

A tropical depression that formed in the Florida Straits is moving into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and the U.S. National Hurricane Center says it could soon become a tropical storm.

Two tropical disturbances also remain under watch. Another tropical system called Invest 99L looked like it would become more organized on Sunday.

The storm is a threat to entire Gulf Coast.

Tropical Depression Eight has developed about 500 miles west of Bermuda. The system could strengthen into a Tropical Storm and pass just offshore of the North Carolina Outer Banks by midweek.

Meanwhile, Gaston is now a major hurricane over the central Atlantic and will stay over the open waters of the Atlantic (tracking away from the U.S.) the next several days.

Hurricane Gaston has been upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane.

Gaston, packing top sustained winds of 115 miles (185 kilometers) per hour, was about 580 miles from Bermuda, and moving west-northwest at five miles per hour, according to the Miami-based NHC.

“Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles”, it added. The update was released 11 p.m. EDT, Sunday. The southern half of the Florida peninsula and the Florida Keys were also expected to get 1 to 4 inches of rain through Wednesday, along with isolated areas receiving as much as 6 inches.

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Additional watches may be announced Monday, while tropical storm conditions are possible to develop by Tuesday afternoon.

Aug. 28 2016