Tropical Storm Julia forms in the Caribbean

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tropical Storm Julia formed in the southern Caribbean on Friday with winds of 40 mph.

Tropical Depression 13, which formed Thursday night in the Caribbean, developed into Julia

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Channel 9 meteorologist Rusty McCranie said as Tropical Storm Julia moves away from South America, it is forecast to strengthen and become a hurricane before it makes landfall in Central America this weekend.

As Julia makes landfall, it is expected to slow down. When that happens, McCranie said it could bring up to 10- to 15-inches of rain to portions of Central America, and a 4- to 6-foot storm surge.

Read: Natural disasters like Hurricane Ian could worsen economic inequalities

The system is not a threat to Florida.

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Food, diaper giveaway in Orlando Orlando Commissioner Bakari Burns teamed up with the Central Florida Diaper Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank, Equal Ground, and OUC to pull together resources for the event. (WFTV.com News Staff)

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Photos: Days after Hurricane Ian, inland Florida still reeling from floods National Guardsmen transport meals ready-to-eat to a community cut off by flooding in the wake of Hurricane Ian near the Peace River on October 4, 2022, in Arcadia, Florida. Fifty miles inland, and nearly a week after Hurricane Ian made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida, the record-breaking floodwaters in the area are receding to reveal the full effects of the storm. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

VIDEO: Disaster refugees expected in Central Florida, officials warn It was two days ago when the first signs of another housing crisis began to form in the wake of Hurricane Ian. (Nick Papantonis, WFTV.com/WFTV)

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• George Waldenberger
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• Brian Shields

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