Tropical Storms Emily and Franklin form as tropical activity ramps up
MIAMI -- Tropical activity appears to be increasing after the National Hurricane Center on Sunday said Tropical Storms Emily and Franklin formed within hours of each other with at least three other systems currently on the radar.
Emily formed in the central Atlantic Ocean Sunday morning but was expected to fall apart over the next 48 to 72 hours.
Tropical Storm Franklin organized Sunday afternoon in the eastern Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Tropical storm watches were issued by federal forecasters for parts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti as a result of Franklin's activity, the National Weather Service said.
As of 5 p.m. Sunday, Franklin had maximum winds of 45 miles per hour and was moving to the west.
Before Franklin formed, Tropical Storm Emily was moving in the central Atlantic with with maximum winds of 50 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane forecasters said there were three others systems that they were tracking.
Tropical Depression 6 organized Saturday night but was not expected to hold together.
Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center said they are monitoring two other systems that could strengthen over the next few days.
Meanwhile on the U.S. West Coast, Southern California and the Southwest were preparing for "catastrophic and life-threating flooding" as Tropical Storm Hilary continued north after making landfall in the northern part of Mexico's Baja California peninsula on Sunday.
Hilary had strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm prior to making landfall Sunday.
The storm is still expected to bring heavy rainfall along its path from Sunday afternoon into Monday morning, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.
"The potentially historic amount of rainfall is expected to cause life-threatening to catastrophic flash, urban, and arroyo flooding including landslides, mudslides, and debris flows through early Monday morning," NHC said.