Tropical disturbance moving toward Caribbean

This high pressure area will be key in steering the storm westward toward Florida. If it swirls into a tropical storm, it will be named Hermine (Her-MEEN).

Local 10 News hurricane specialist Max Mayfield said the thunderstorm activity “looks ragged”, but some computer models have it headed on a path toward or near Florida.

Treasure Coast election officials are closely monitoring the system for its potential impact on voting August 30.

The National Hurricane Center is also watching Fiona and Gaston, storms in the Atlantic that pose less concern for the mainland United States.

Nevertheless, sea surface temperatures of 29 to 30C, decreasing wind shear and increasing humidity will help Fiona to persist for a few days.

Now the system is just east of the the Lesser Antilles Islands, and now, has a 60% probability of developing into a tropical storm over the next five days.

Gaston is centered about 545 miles west of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands and is moving west-northwest near 20 mph. If it continues on it’s current track, it would eventually approach the southeast USA, however it’s too early to tell where this system would actually go.

An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft and crew is scheduled to investigate this system later this morning, but people in the central and northern Lesser Antilles, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico should keep a close eye on its progress.

Gusty winds, heavy rains, and possible flash floods and mud slides could occur over these areas, regardless of tropical cyclone formation.

Tropical formation chances were placed at 50 percent over the next 48 hours and 70 percent over the next five days. It may stall for a day over the Bahamas with a turn toward the west toward Florida or Georgia’s coast depending on how for north the storm gets. It may become a hurricane, but again, it’s now no threat to the US or any major land mass.

At 11 a.m., post-tropical storm Fiona was located about 430 miles south of Bermuda.

The low should gradually weaken over the next couple of days.