Eye on the Tropics

Tracking Eta: Tropical storm expected to re-strengthen, Subtropical Storm Theta forms

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tropical Storm Eta made landfall late Sunday night on Florida’s Lower Matecumbe Key. The storm is the Atlantic hurricane season’s 28th-named storm.

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10 p.m. update

Subtropical Storm Theta forms

Subtropical Storm Theta has formed.

Certified meteorologist George Waldenberger said it’s not coming to the U.S., but that makes 29 named storms this season -- a record, beating 2005 which had 28.

Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Eta is expected to re-strengthen as it meanders over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.

9 p.m. update

Eta only named storm to make landfall in Florida

Out of 28 named storms, Eta is the only one to make landfall in Florida this season, and just barely so, in the lower Keys, chief meteorologist Tom Terry said.

7:30 p.m. update

Eta slowing down, not strengthening

Eta has not strengthened, but its movement is slowing down, certified meteorologist George Waldenberger said.

Winds have hit about 50 mph. Waldenberger said the storm will likely meander just off the west tip of Cuba until Wednesday morning.

Later in the week, expect northward movement and watch for any strengthening. We’ll watch to see if it holds together by the end of the week and if it moves toward the Florida Gulf coast.

READ: Brevard County schools to reopen Tuesday after closing for Tropical Storm Eta

6:15 p.m. update

Launch postponed due to Eta

Tropical Storm Eta is impacting the Space Coast.

ULA just moved the launch of a mission for the National Reconnaissance Office from Wednesday to Thursday evening.

SpaceX and NASA continue to monitor the storm ahead of Crew-1, the first operational mission to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Crew program.

4 p.m. update:

Eta continues to zigzag

Rain bands will continue to move over Central Florida. Expect intermittent downpours through the next couple of days.

Breezy conditions will also dominate over Central Florida and stronger winds along the coast.

Seas will stay between 14 to 18 feet.

Coastal county officials have told Channel 9 that they will continue to monitor conditions along our beaches.

There has not been signs of beach erosion, but with the winds and high seas expected to continue through the week, this might change.

Rainfall could reach over 3 inches through Thursday. Higher amounts are possible for some areas.

We are expecting a low-pressure system coming with a frontal boundary which will finally help Eta move northward.

Eta will start to make its turn to the north on Wednesday, while also increasing in forward speed.

We will monitor the track as the exact location where Eta will make landfall is unknown.

Photos: Tropical Storm Eta takes aim at Florida after lashing Central America

The latest track shows Eta losing its tropical characteristics just south of the Florida Panhandle, becoming a remnant low.

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Forecast Track

3 p.m. update:

Rainbands move over Central Florida. Expect downpours to affect parts of Central Florida through the rest of the day.

1 p.m. update

Tropical Storm Eta’s winds relax a bit

Eta has maximum sustained winds at 50mph, but the threat for rain across parts of Central Florida continues.

It will be breezy inland and stronger winds are forecast along the coast. The onshore winds will also bring the threat for coastal flooding and dangerous seas. Read Central Florida’s forecast below.


10 a.m. update

Tropical Storm Eta over the Gulf of Mexico, expected to lose speed.

Eta has made its turn to the southwest over the Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to remain in this same region during the next 24 hours.

By Tuesday morning, the storm will start to make its turn to the north but it will still take the whole week for Eta to make it back to Florida.

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The long term track has shifted and Eta is now expected to make landfall over the Panhandle, specifically over the north-central part of the state. Keep in mind that this trajectory could still shift as the timing for the low-pressure system which would make this system turn north could change.

Forecast for Central Florida

Under this shift in track, Central Florida has a low chance to experience tropical-storm-force winds, about 13%. This probability could increase should the storm track shift further east or south. If the track shifts more north or west, the probability would decrease.

Rainbands will still affect parts of Florida. Central Florida is forecast to have breezy conditions and gusts could reach up to 20mph. Any thunderstorms embedded in the rainbands could produce higher gusts and heavier rains.

Rainfall could reach 3 inches for some areas across Central Florida, especially along the coast in Brevard County through Thursday. Some isolated higher amounts are possible with the embedded storms.

The seas will be very dangerous, 15 to 18 feet seas are possible. There could be coastal flooding, especially during high tides.

The tropical storm warning for Brevard County has been cancelled.

7 a.m. update

Storm moving toward Gulf of Mexico, Brevard County under tropical storm warning

Eta is moving westward over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, with 65 mph winds.

The storm is still bringing gusty winds and heavy rain to portions of South Florida and the Florida Keys.

Forecasters said they believe Eta will strengthen during the next day or so.

Photos: Tropical Storm Eta takes aim at Florida after lashing Central America

The National Hurricane Center said Eta is forecast to become a hurricane when it moves over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.

Channel 9′s Q McCray is in Cocoa Beach, which is under a tropical storm warning.

He said it’s been raining on and off and it’s very windy. The waves are also very choppy.

4:30 a.m. update

Eta remains just off the coast of southwest Florida, tropical storm warning in effect for Brevard County

Eta is just off the coast of southwest Florida. It’s bringing strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous storm surge to portions of South Florida and the Florida Keys.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Florida coast from Brevard/Volusia County line to Anna Maria Island and the Florida Keys from Ocean Reef to the Dry Tortugas, including Florida Bay.

Eta is expected to move away from South Florida Monday. It will be over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico through Wednesday.

Meteorologist Brian Shields said Eta will either stay away from Florida and fall apart or it could stay together then move back northeast over the Big Bend. There are a lot of question marks with the storm’s path.

READ: Brevard County schools to close Monday over Tropical Storm Eta concerns

Shields said there are no major red flags for Central Florida.

Brevard County Public Schools announced Sunday evening that all schools will be closed Monday over concerns around Tropical Storm Eta. Click here to read more about that.

Good Morning! 1.) Eta will drift away from Florida the next couple days. Today, we'll have fast moving showers and...

Posted by Brian Shields, WFTV on Monday, November 9, 2020

READ: Tropical Storm Eta live updates: Storm makes landfall on Florida’s Lower Matecumbe Key

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Katlyn Brieskorn, WFTV.com

Katlyn Brieskorn is a Digital Assignment Editor at WFTV. She joined Channel 9 in July 2019.