East-Central Florida - Friday August 2, 2024: The large well defined tropical wave that forecasters have named Invest 97-L is expected to become at least a tropical depression over the weekend or early next week somewhere in the Florida Strait or Gulf Mexico.
As of mid-day Friday this tropical wave had already past north of the island of Hispaniola and is now over parts of the south eastern Bahamas and the eastern end of Cuba.
The main threat to Florida appears to be along the southern and western shores of the Peninsula. The Governor's State of Emergency declaration on Thursday in 54 of the state's 67 counties does not include any of the Treasure Coast or Space Coast Counties.
The National Weather Service Office in Melbourne advises that at this time heavy rainfall, with possible flooding, appears to be the primary threat for East-Central Florida. However residents in our region are still advised to continue to closely monitor the forecast over the coming days for updates on this system.
NHC- Invest 97-L
A well-defined tropical wave is producing a large area of poorly organized showers and thunderstorms over eastern Cuba, Hispaniola, the southeastern Bahamas, and Jamaica, as well as the adjacent waters of the southwestern Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea.
The wave is expected to move near or over Cuba throughout the day and then emerge over the Straits of Florida tonight or Saturday.
Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for additional development after that time, and a tropical depression is likely to form this weekend over the Straits of Florida or eastern Gulf of Mexico near the Florida Peninsula.
Tropical storm watches or warnings could be required for portions of Florida later today.Regardless of development, heavy rains could cause areas of flash flooding across Florida, Cuba, and the Bahamas through the weekend, and interests in these locations should continue to monitor the progress of this system.
A NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate this system later today.
* Formation chance through 48 hours...medium...60 percent.
* Formation chance through 7 days...high...90 percent.
