ORLANDO, Fla. — Update: Tropical Storm Marco has formed in the forms in northwest Caribbean, and could join Tropical Storm Laura as an eventual double Gulf threat.
For Florida, Laura will be watched for some outer bands moving by on Monday and early Tuesday.
Read our previous coverage below:
Laura was officially named on Friday morning after hurricane hunters investigated the system and found better organization and stronger winds. The center was also placed a bit more south which shifted the track a bit more west of Florida.
At 5 p.m. the National Hurricane Center released its complete bulletin of the afternoon and stated that Laura continues with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and about 30 miles to the east-southeast of Antigua. Expect Laura to continue a west-northwestward motion at a faster forward speed over the weekend.
On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move near or over portions of the Leeward Islands later today, near or over Puerto Rico Saturday morning, and near the northern coast of Hispaniola late Saturday and early Sunday. It is expected for the main bulk of thunderstorms to remain to the north of the center, which will limit the land interaction, therefore not much denting expected from the mountainous terrain in the Caribbean.
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HOW LAURA WILL IMPACT PUERTO RICO:
Rainfall between 3 to 6 inches are possible with isolated amounts up to 8 inches, especially along the eastern side of the mountains. The US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti could also receive similar amounts.
Florida residents need to make sure to have a plan ready. Although we are not expecting a direct hit from this system, we will be on the “dirty side” of the storm. Which means heavy rain bands with embedded thunderstorms. Also, within the thunderstorms, we would have some tornadoes developing.
How to prepare for a hurricane in Florida
There is a chance that this system could have a bit more interaction with the land as the center continues to build if it happens the system could struggle to survive. Regardless once it emerges again over the warm waters of the Florida Straits, and the favorable conditions (low wind shear) present, the system could again intensify, easily.
Let us explain: What is the ‘dirty side’ of a tropical system
VISITE NUESTRA SECCIÓN EN ESPAÑOL SOBRE EL TRÓPICO
¡En español! Puerto Rico se verá afectado directamente por Laura, Florida en el ‘lado sucio’ de la tormenta
How to Stay Informed about Laura
We continue to track all the tropical developments and will bring you the latest live on Channel 9 Eyewitness News. Click here to watch live, and click here to download the free WFTV weather app to receive instant updates on the systems.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE: What do they mean? Disturbance, depressions, tropical, subtropical storms, hurricanes
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