Tracking The Tropics: Possible tropical depression heading toward Florida Gulf Coast next week
MIAMI — We continue to monitor an area of low pressure near the Yucatan Peninsula that has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression or storm over the next couple of days. By early next week, it will lift northward into the Gulf of Mexico, where some additional strengthening will be possible.
Forecast models are agreeing on a solution that takes this system into the Gulf coast of Florida in the Tuesday through Wednesday time frame of this upcoming week.
While most models show a landfalling system between the Big Bend area of Florida and the Panhandle, there is still uncertainty in the track due to the fact that the center of this system has not developed yet. Even though the center of this system is forecast to remain to the northwest of South Florida, impacts will extend far east of the center.
While it is too early to pin down the exact magnitude of impacts, South Florida can expect to experience some passing heavy bands of rain and breezy conditions beginning Monday and lasting through Wednesday.
We'll also have to watch for the threat of localized flooding under any heavy, tropical downpours. If this system does become a named storm, that name will be Idalia.
Locally, the weekend will be beautiful. Both Saturday and Sunday will feature drier conditions across the metro, with highs in the middle 90s.