Eye on the Tropics

Lisa weakens to tropical storm, third disturbance to potentially develop east of Bahamas

ORLANDO, Fla. — Channel 9 meteorologists are monitoring two named storms that formed into hurricanes Wednesday.

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11 p.m. update

Lisa has weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm as it continues moving over land, near the Belize, Guatemala Border.

Still, Lisa is bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to Belize, Northern Guatemala and southeastern Mexico.

Martin is still a hurricane over the Central Atlantic about to move into the North Atlantic. Neither is a threat to Florida.

A third disturbance is poised to potentially develop east of The Bahamas early next week. If it does, we’re watching how close it could get to Florida. There’s still much uncertainty, but a nearby subtropical system, if develops, could bring pockets of heavy rain, rough seas, gusty coastline.

3:30 p.m. update

Lisa and Martin are both hurricanes, but neither is coming anywhere near Florida.

Lisa will move over Belize and then parts of Guatemala and Mexico into the evening.

Another disturbance may form off our east Florida coast next week. Depending on if it forms and then how close it gets, there may be a risk of heavy rain, especially near our coastal areas by the middle of next week. There is still a lot of uncertainty though a week out.

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11:13 a.m. Wednesday update:

The National Hurricane Center confirmed Hurricane Martin has formed in the Atlantic.

Hurricane Lisa also formed Wednesday morning as it moves closer to making landfall in Belize.

Thankfully, both storms are not forecast to impact the U.S.

Another area just to the southeast of the Caribbean could develop this weekend and into next week.

An area of low pressure may form, and it could work its way back to the southeast United States later next week.

What exactly develops, and where it goes, is still to be determined. But this will be a spot we will closely monitor.

7:50 a.m. Wednesday update:

The National Hurricane Center confirmed Wednesday morning that Lisa has strengthened into a hurricane.

Lisa is forecast to make landfall Wednesday in Belize.

The storm’s patch will not impact the U.S., data shows.

Original report:

Channel 9 meteorologists were tracking two tropical storms on Tuesday.

Tropical Storm Martin formed in the northern Atlantic earlier Tuesday. The storm is forecast to become a hurricane by Wednesday.

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Martin will eventually be downgraded to a powerful extratropical system Thursday and eventually affect Greenland.

Tropical Storm Lisa continues to strengthen in the Caribbean. It is expected to strengthen into a hurricane and move toward Central America on Wednesday.

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Lisa currently has 60 mph winds.

Neither storm is expected to affect the United States.

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Another disturbance is forecast to develop next week over the eastern Caribbean or southwest Atlantic.

It’s too early to know for certain, but the system could potentially send heavy rain to Florida late next week.

Watch chief meteorologist Tom Terry’s live forecast on Channel 9 Eyewitness News by clicking here.

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Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.