Tropical update: Tracking Hurricane Fiona, new tropical wave heading toward Caribbean

HOUSTON — We are tracking four different spots out there, but that tropical wave east of the Caribbean with a 90% chance for development has our attention. This one has the potential to develop in the Caribbean Sea later this week. If it does indeed develop, it could eventually threaten the Yucatan, Cuba and maybe even the United States.

The Hurricane Center is running its suite of tropical models, the “spaghetti” models. They suggest a track through the Caribbean, then show increasing amounts of uncertainty as it heads west.

None of these systems will impact the Houston area this weekend. However, we’ll be keeping a close eye on things over the coming days.

Hurricane Fiona blasted the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday as a Category 3 storm after devastating Puerto Rico, where most people remained without electricity or running water and rescuers used heavy equipment to lift survivors to safety.

The storm’s eye passed close to Grand Turk, the small British territory’s capital island, on Tuesday morning after the government imposed a curfew and urged people to flee flood-prone areas. Storm surge could raise water levels there by as much as 5 to 8 feet above normal, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Fiona is a Category 4 hurricane as it approaches Bermuda on Friday, the hurricane center said. It may impact Nova Scotia and Newfoundland this weekend.

Gaston became a named storm Tuesday, but it is not a threat to the U.S.