ORLANDO, Fla. — Channel 9 is monitoring a broad area of low pressure off the coast of Florida.
8 p.m. update:
Hurricane hunters went out Saturday afternoon and found the tropical disturbance off Florida’s east coast has a well-defined center but is otherwise not well organized, and therefore not yet a tropical depression.
As of Saturday afternoon, it’s about 185 miles east of Cape Canaveral, and although there is some question where it will go, it appears it will move over Florida Sunday.
Convection far removed from the center of Invest-90L. Still, we'll see if we get any bursts tonight, another hurricane hunter mission is scheduled for Sunday, if necessary. pic.twitter.com/GL5Ru6HEMO
— George Waldenberger (@GWaldenWFTV) July 24, 2021
Florida residents will have to watch to see if it can form into a tropical depression between Saturday night and Sunday.
If it does, we would get a cone and the Nation Hurricane Center will issue watches.
8pm update: Hurricane hunters find well-defined center 185 miles east of Cape Canaveral, but lacking organized thunderstorms near the center. Chance of development now down from 60% to 50%. Still watching in case a tropical depression forms, though. pic.twitter.com/EqGIlB22SY
— George Waldenberger (@GWaldenWFTV) July 24, 2021
The main impacts could be rip currents, large waves at our beaches, breezy conditions and higher rain chances Sunday.
Another Hurricane Hunter mission is scheduled for Sunday, if necessary.
5:00 p.m. update:
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Rain is spotty locally on Saturday, with a dangerous risk for rip currents at our beaches north of the Cape because of the disturbance offshore.
It's drier than normal on the back side of a nearby disturbance, but that will likely change soon. pic.twitter.com/t2vUyNyasg
— George Waldenberger (@GWaldenWFTV) July 24, 2021
We are on the dry side of that system, and that’s why things are hotter than normal and drier than normal through the evening.
We're on the dry side of the disturbance with less rain to cool things off...therefore, this... pic.twitter.com/WQ3Zzzrwo1
— George Waldenberger (@GWaldenWFTV) July 24, 2021
Hurricane hunters are scoping out the disturbance and have actually measured tropical storm-force winds, but they are also looking for organization as well.
Hurricane hunters are about to investigate the disturbance ~200 miles east of Daytona Beach; it may become the next tropical depression of the season. For now, though, it's drawing drier air in to Central Florida with heavier rains to the south. pic.twitter.com/BwzBE03ryQ
— George Waldenberger (@GWaldenWFTV) July 24, 2021
We will monitor this Saturday evening and again on Sunday to see if we get a tropical depression out of this.
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We continue to monitor a broad area of low pressure about 150 miles east of Daytona Beach on Saturday.
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Conditions could become more favorable for development over the weekend, and the National Hurricane Center said there is a 50% chance of development into a tropical depression or tropical storm over the next 48 hours.
8am Saturday update: The NHC has increased the chance of development with this disturbance off our east coast to 60% over the weekend. As of now, it is very disorganized, but conditions could become more favorable. pic.twitter.com/eFeVaDQGAP
— Rusty McCranie (@RMcCranieWFTV) July 24, 2021
In the short term, dry continental air is streaming into area on the west side of that disturbance. This will lead to a very unusual July forecast for us on Saturday.
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We’ll have a brisk, northeastern wind and only a 20% chance for fast-moving showers, with highs in the upper-80s to low-90s.
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