Tropics update: Tropical Depression Five forms in Atlantic, expected to become Tropical Storm on Thursday

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If it forms into a Tropical Storm, it will be named Elsa and could pose a threat to the Gulf of Mexico by next week.

HOUSTON — The KHOU 11 Weather Team is keeping a close eye on the tropics and a system in the Atlantic has our attention.

The National Hurricane Center started issuing advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone Five Wednesday afternoon. By 10 p.m. Wednesday, the storm strengthened into Tropical Depression Five. The NHC said the system’s center was about 1,020 miles east-southeast of the Windward Islands (Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Dominica, Martinique) with maximum sustained winds of about 35 mph with higher gusts. 

If it forms into a Tropical Storm, it will be named Elsa. It could pose a threat to the Gulf of Mexico by next week. The system is expected to get stronger over the next two days and will likely become a Tropical Storm early Thursday.

TROPICAL DEPRESSION FIVE SPAGHETTI MODELS

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for Barbados, St. Lucia and Martinique. On its current path, the system is expected to pass over the islands on Friday, move into the Caribbean Sea on Friday afternoon or evening and then move near the southern coast of Hispanola on Saturday.

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The NHC said the system has become better organized since Tuesday. It’s expected to continue moving west-northwest at about 20 to 25 mph for the next day or two. Conditions are favorable for development, according to the NHC.

INTERACTIVE TROPICAL TRACKER

There’s a chance for scattered showers Wednesday afternoon, although the downpours will not be as widespread as they have been in previous days.

Since the ground is saturated, be on the lookout for isolated street flooding. Temperatures will struggle to get into the 90s with most spots seeing highs in the 80s.

We should get a break from the heavy downpours on Thursday and Friday before they return Saturday and through the holiday weekend. The rain chances remain high early next week as well.

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