It’s not exactly the first time that a “no-name” tropical system has impacted the state of Florida. The state has already been hit by torrential rains from “No-Name” hurricanes. The recent flooding rains from Tropical Storm Florida Gordon have left many in the state feeling under the weather. But now, Tropical Storm Florida is poised to make the state’s flooding waters even worse. Learn how the storm may affect Florida, the Florida Keys, and Cuba.
Tropical storm conditions
On Saturday, heavy rain lashed South Florida. Some cars became stuck in flooded streets, and hundreds of people lost power. The city of Miami posted a video of a flooded street and urged residents to stay home. The rains will increase with the combination of a high tide and storm surge, which will cause flooding rains to move inland. A hurricane watch has been issued for the state. Here are some facts about the hurricane.
On Thursday, the National Hurricane Center issued a forecast for Potential Tropical Cyclone One. As of Friday, the system is moving slowly over the Gulf of Mexico, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph. It could become a tropical storm in Florida by Saturday, and south Florida could feel its effects as early as Friday night. Storm surge could reach three feet along the west coast, and rip currents could be dangerous in the Keys.
Tropical Storm Florida Agatha made landfall Tuesday as a strong Category 2 storm, with wind speeds up to 105 mph. As it moved inland, it began losing strength. The Weather Prediction Center predicts that the rain total in Palm Beach County will range between three to seven inches. The highest rainfall amounts will fall in the upper Keys. But the storm should have little impact on the Florida panhandle. In the meantime, Florida residents should keep an eye on the forecast and make sure to protect themselves and their property.
Potential for tropical storm-force winds
The potential for Tropical Storm Irma to bring strong winds and rain to parts of the Florida peninsula is a real possibility. Irma and Fay both crossed the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall. Wilma, meanwhile, formed in the western Caribbean and is expected to turn northeast and hit the southwest peninsula of Florida. It is still too early to tell what exactly this storm will do in Florida, but the state is in danger of heavy rain and flash flooding.
While tropical storms are usually weak enough to bring significant rain to a wide area, the South Florida coast and the Miami metro area are at risk. While heavy rain will likely fall on southern Florida, heavy rainfall will largely be pushed to the eastern side of the storm. This means that heavy rain could fall in areas of South Florida and the Florida Keys in just 48 hours. Although heavy rain is expected to fall in South Florida, the storm’s hostile upper-level winds will cause the storm to dump a lot of rain in South Florida.
The National Hurricane Center is forecasting that Tropical Storm Florida Ida will only be a weak tropical depression, with wind speeds of about 35 mph. While the National Hurricane Center acknowledged that the forecast is complex and uncertain, it is still possible that it will eventually strengthen to a tropical storm Florida. The wind speeds are forecast to hit south Florida on Friday night and could be as high as 60 mph across the peninsula. The storm could cause up to three feet of storm surge and potentially dangerous rip currents in the Keys.
Impact on Florida Keys
Since 1871, 14 of the 26 hurricanes that hit the Florida Keys have passed northward over the western Caribbean Sea. Twelve of those developed over the Caribbean Sea while one developed over Nicaragua and one developed east of the Lesser Antilles. Overall, 31% of the hurricanes that pass over the Florida Keys move between Cuba and the northern Bahamas. In the case of Hurricane Irma, the Keys were severely damaged.
As the storm moves across the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, heavy rainfall is expected in parts of the Yucatan Peninsula and western Cuba. The Keys and the Miami metro area will be hit by heavy rain, with total rainfall ranging from four to eight inches. Heavy rain may even fall across the Bahamas. But the worst part is yet to come. As Tropical storm Florida moves west, it will continue to cause severe weather in the Keys.
If Tropical storm Florida Fred makes landfall in the Florida Keys on Friday evening, visitors should consider their travel plans. As the hurricane moves ashore, visitor facilities will be closed and buildings and airports will be shut down. While many businesses may be closed, the government hopes that visitors can reach the Keys during the early stages of evacuation. In any case, if you are unable to reach the Keys by then, you’ll have to rearrange your plans to travel after the storm passes.
Impact on Cuba
Cuba has begun proactive storm preparations and is sending thousands of tanker trucks filled with water to help residents with flooding. However, residents are still required to carry the water in buckets to their homes. Thousands of power outages have already been reported. The National Information Agency reports that at least 150,000 people have been evacuated. This includes 47,000 in old buildings in the colonial quarter of Havana and about 1,800 on the Isle of Youth. The Caribbean island of Cuba also received upwards of two thousand tourists from Key Largo.
The hurricane’s path is likely to affect some oil wells in the northern part of Cuba. Some of these are within 200 feet of the shore. If one of these is damaged, it could cause an ecological disaster and damage the tourist industry. However, so far, there are no reports of oil well damage. The hurricane is expected to bring rain and strong winds to Cuba, but that will take time. A lack of electricity means that Cuba will be without power for weeks.
Heavy rains from Irma could cause flooding in the northern Dominican Republic and eastern Cuba. The rains could cause mudslides and deadly flooding. It is possible to experience tornadoes in southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. In both places, hurricane-force winds could disrupt communication and disrupt flights. Although this storm will have little impact on Cuba, it could still affect the island nation.
Impact on the Bahamas
Tropical storm Andrew devastated the Bahamas in late August 1992. This hurricane caused devastating damage in The Bahamas, south Florida, and Louisiana. The storm cost the U.S. over $25 billion, making it the most costly Atlantic hurricane ever. The Bahamas sustained damages of about $250 million due to the hurricane. Hurricanes are not uncommon, and Florida is no exception. There are a variety of hazards that can be encountered during hurricane season, but here are the top five to watch for this year.
The chance of a tropical hurricane is 90 percent, and it will cause widespread flooding in southern Florida. Tropical-storm-force winds will extend as far as 275 miles (445 km) east of the storm’s center. Tropical-storm conditions are expected in parts of Florida, southern Bahamas, and northern Cuba through tonight. Rainfall in the northern Bahamas could produce flash flooding. In the southern Florida peninsula and Florida Keys, there is a chance of urban flooding.
The storm first appeared near the Lesser Antilles on August 29 and moved northwestward for several days. It passed close to the Dominican Republic on September 12 and then impacted the southeastern Bahamas on September 13 and 14. On September 9, Jeanne weakened to a Category 4 hurricane and made landfall near the Dry Tortugas and along the eastern coast of Florida near Stuart, Florida. The storm weakened on September 16 and reached the Atlantic Ocean on September 20.
Impact on Florida’s Big Bend
As tropical storm Florida Elsa intensifies, the impact on the state of Florida is being analyzed. The storm is expected to make landfall late Wednesday in Florida’s Big Bend. While Elsa will bring heavy rain and storm surge to Florida’s Big Bend, it is still a major threat to Central Florida. Several counties have tropical storm Florida warnings or watches in place, including Marion and Sumter counties. In addition, the counties of Osceola and Polk remain under a tornado watch.
The eye of the hurricane reached the shoreline of the Florida Peninsula on June 30, 1886. Within five hours, the storm had crossed the peninsula into the Atlantic Ocean just north of Palm Beach. It briefly re-intensified near the Florida coast, but then weakened again as it moved northeastward over the western Atlantic. It was quickly absorbed by another low the following day. In the meantime, the Florida coast continues to be flooded.
The hurricane weakened to a tropical depression near Stuart, Florida on September 5, but continued to wreak havoc. It became a tropical storm and weakened over the southeast of the state before making landfall in the Florida Big Bend on September 6. On September 8, the hurricane passed over the southeastern United States and West Virginia, becoming an extratropical system. It displaced more than a thousand residents from the area.