MIAMI – Potential Tropical Cyclone Four strengthened into Tropical Depression 4 Friday night and is expected to eventually become Tropical Storm Debby near South Florida this weekend. As you can imagine, our weather will start to deteriorate early Saturday. Here is what you can expect.
Clouds gradually started to fill our skies Friday night and into Saturday morning. Outer rain bands of this system will roll in and out of South Florida throughout the day Saturday. These rain bands will be gusty and heavy at times. We are expecting around 2 inches of rain with this system.
Some localized flooding is possible. Saturday will be a great movie marathon day or a great chance to catch up on chores around the house!
TALKING TROPICS NEWSLETTER: Tropical storm watches and warnings issued for parts of Florida
Since the system is passing to our west, we will be on the “dirty” eastern side of the storm. Due to this, there is the potential for seeing some minor rotation within these rain bands that may spin up a brief tornado. Be sure to keep checking with Local 10 News for all the latest weather alerts this weekend.
Wind gusts are expected to top out around 30-35 mph for Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The Florida Keys, which are currently under a tropical storm watch, can expect at or near tropical storm force wind gusts around 40-45mph, especially late Saturday afternoon and into the evening.
As of the 8 a.m. National Hurricane Center advisory, the system was moving west-northwest at 16 mph and was located about 75 miles south of Varadero, Cuba.
It is expected to strengthen over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.
“A turn toward the northwest is forecast today, followed by a northward motion on Sunday and then a slower northeastward motion Sunday night and Monday,” the NHC reported. “On the forecast track, the center of the depression will move across western Cuba this morning, and then move over the eastern Gulf of Mexico later today and Sunday, reaching the Florida Gulf coast late Sunday or Monday.”
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Aucilla River to Yankeetown, Florida.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for The Dry Tortugas and the west coast of the Florida peninsula from south of Yankeetown to East Cape Sable.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Florida Keys south of the Channel 5 Bridge, and west of the Aucilla River to the Ochlockonee River.
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for Bonita Beach northward to the Aucilla River, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor.
Breezy and rainy conditions in South Florida will persist into Sunday as well. However, with the center of this system pulling further to our north, the effects of this system will start to lessen. Off and on rain bands will continue through Sunday, but with a few more breaks in between. Winds, while on the breezy side, will be gusting in the mid-upper 20s.
Rain chances remain on the higher side into early next week as a moisture tail stretching from the storm into the Caribbean will remain over South Florida, serving as fuel for more showers and storms to start the week.
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