The storm was not an immediate threat to land, and was expected to remain at its current strength for the next 47 hours, forecasters said.
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The National Hurricane Center now gives this tropical disturbance a 20 percent chance of developing into something more significant, which is great news (it was up to 80% a few days ago).
“The wave known as Invest 99L that is moving through Cuba will continue to have a hard time organizing over the next couple of days”, News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said.
The disturbance could see some development when the system reaches the eastern Gulf of Mexico next week.
Right now, the storm continues to slowly drift north of Cuba.
“Regardless of development, heavy rains, with the potential to cause flash floods and mud slides, are likely over Hispaniola today and over eastern and central Cuba through the weekend”, according to the forecast.
The system is expected to deliver gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall to parts of the Bahamas, spreading into southern Florida and the Florida Keys, over the weekend.
A tropical depression southeast of Hawaii Island is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane Monday with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour.
Lester’s hurricane-force winds extend up to 25 miles (35 kilometers) from its center, and tropical-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles (150 kilometers).
Krautmann said only time will tell what will become of the disturbance.
The system, which was located about 1,000 miles southeast of Miami late Wednesday afternoon, is forecast to take a general west to west-northwest path near the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Thursday. It was not expected to make a direct impact on Bermuda. “It’s chances of development have slightly decreased since yesterday”.
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Hurricane Gaston on Sunday (Aug 28) surged to a Category Three storm, the first major hurricane of the Atlantic season, the National Hurricane Center said.
