A new storm system is brewing in the Atlantic and has the Caribbean in its sights – and maybe even America – later in the week.
A new storm system is brewing in the Atlantic and both the US and the Caribbean could feel its impact.
Currently, the unformed system is about 1,000 miles from the Lesser and Greater Antilles in the Atlantic, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Forecasters give it an 80 percent chance to become a formed system within 48 hours. There is a 90 percent chance it will become a formed storm within a week.
While the initial path showed the storm potentially heading straight for the Caribbean, Sunday’s map shows the storm’s path starting north. If that continues, the storm could remain at sea and have little impact on land.
The potential impacts and timing the storm might have on the US are too soon to tell.
It’s too soon to know how powerful the storm could become when it hits land. If it becomes a formed storm it would be named Ernesto.
“There is a likelihood if this tropical feature survives to the zone near and just north of the Caribbean next week, it will go on to become a tropical storm, and from there, it could be drawn in close enough to the East Coast of the U.S. to be a direct concern,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex said.
The newest storm comes days after Hurricane Debby drenched Florida and the East Coast with heavy rains, strong winds and dangerous flooding. At least eight people were killed from the impacts of Debby.
Debby hit Florida as a Category 1 storm with winds of up to 80 mph. It flooded parts of the state and rescue crews had to help rescue stranded people.
Parts of South Carolina and Georgia saw a foot of rain in the flooding.
The East Coast was also soaked by the remnants of the storm with rain and strong winds causing poor conditions and thousands of flight delays in New York City.
