Janice R. Andrews
As of Saturday, the National Hurricane Centre is keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Gordon in the central tropical Atlantic and other possible weather problems along the Southeast coast of the United States. The remains of Hurricane Francine, which is no longer tropical, are still flooding parts of the Southeast. At the same time, another storm is forming off the coast that could bring heavy rain and flash flooding to the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic early next week.
Status of Tropical Storm Gordon Right Now
Stormy Weather Gordon is about 1,145 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. It is moving at 9 mph and has winds that will not let up for more than 45 mph. It is getting weaker right now, but by Sunday it should have turned into a tropical depression. Forecasters think Gordon might get stronger by the middle of next week, but for at least another week, he shouldn’t be a threat to land.
Flash flood risks with residue from the fire
The heavy rain from Hurricane Francine is still falling in the southeastern United States, mostly in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. In these places, flash flood watches are in force, and the weather is likely to stay bad through the weekend. Francine has already caused a lot of damage in Louisiana, where it hit land earlier this week.
A new storm is forming off the southeast coast of the United States.
In the next few days, a disturbance off the coast of the Southeast U.S. could turn into a subtropical or tropical storm. As it moves northwest, the Gulf Stream is projected to get stronger because it is moving through warm water. The National Hurricane Centre says there is a 30% chance that this storm will form in the next 48 hours and a 50% chance that it will form in the next seven days. Early next week, heavy rain, coastal floods, rip currents, and beach damage may happen along the coasts from eastern Florida to the Delmarva Peninsula.
The new storm will likely combine with what’s left of Francine, which will make flash flooding more likely in the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic. The low-pressure system could bring bad weather to the area as it moves north along the coast.
More Tropical Waves to Keep an Eye On
The NHC is also keeping an eye on three other tropical waves besides Gordon and the Southeast disturbance:
- A tropical wave in the eastern Atlantic that is moving across the Atlantic.
- A tropical wave over the Lesser Antilles that brought rain and storms to the Caribbean.
- A tropical wave almost touching Venezuela that might get stronger.
Even though none of these are dangerous right now, tropical waves can often turn into hurricanes and other more dangerous storms.
What’s Next?
As long as the tropics are busy, people who live along the Southeast U.S. coast should stay alert. Parts of the area could be affected by flash floods, coastal flooding, and bad weather until early next week. Keep an eye on updates from the National Hurricane Centre and your local weather service to find out what’s going on.
What You Should Know:
- Bad weather Gordon is still getting weaker, but he might get stronger again next week.
- Flash floods are happening all over the Southeast U.S. because of what’s left of Francine.
- A new storm could form off the coast of the Southeast U.S., bringing rain and the chance of floods.
- The NHC is also keeping an eye on three tropical waves.
Keep up with what’s going on and get ready for how the storm might affect things.
