Tropical Storm Lester becomes a hurricane in the pacific

The tropical wave that has gotten the most attention this week is Invest 99L.

“With the potential for a named tropical system in the Gulf this upcoming week, even if the chance for development appears low at times, it is important to not let our guards down”.

As of 7 a.m. CDT, Invest 99L was located south of Andros Island in the Bahamas, the hurricane center said, and was moving slowly to the west-northwest at 10 miles per hour.

A third system is located in the Atlantic, about 100 miles south of Bermuda.

“The GFS Ensemble model, a reliable computer model for forecast track, suggests that 99-L will continue moving northwest through the early week period”, said WLOX First Alert Meteorologist Wesley Williams on Saturday.

The latest report from the National Weather Service says there’s a 70 percent chance Invest 99 will develop into a tropical system in the next few days.

Another area of low pressure in the central Bahamas is predicted to provide rain over southern Florida and the Florida Keys over the weekend as it moves westward at 10 miles per hour.

Bob Burke, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said people should be aware of the approaching storm and monitor weather forecasts but its too early to predict its impact on Hawaii.

Another disturbance that’s already in the Gulf could also bring rain to the Southeast – and unfortunately to parts of flood-stricken Louisiana and Texas. This system is producing disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity over the north-central Gulf of Mexico.

Heavy rain was expected to fall from Louisiana to southeastern Texas for the next few days. Another area of clouds south of Hawaii is not expected to affect the weather in the state. It is moving westward at 10 miles per hour with a 30 percent chance of becoming a storm over the next five days. The National Hurricane Center continues to decrease the chances for development as it battles wind shear, which is effectively tearing the storm apart as it tries to organize.

The National Hurricane Center is now tracking three tropical systems as well as Tropical Storm Gaston.

Gaston briefly achieved hurricane status of Thursday before weakening.