Tropical system may form along southeastern US coast to end the week
A batch of thunderstorms along the east coast of Florida has the potential to develop into a tropical system and unleash heavy rainfall and raise seas to end the week.
"Thunderstorms between northeastern Florida and northern Bahamas have developed a circular motion," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.
"It is possible this feature develops tropical characteristics with little notice," Kottlowski said.
The close proximity to the coast adds to the level of concern but may cap development.
People from the eastern part of the Florida Peninsula to the Carolinas and northern Bahamas should monitor this recent development as the feature could evolve into a tropical depression or storm with little notice.
This feature was the same system that produced torrential rainfall and flash flooding on the British and United States Virgin Islands on Monday night.
At the very least, this system will enhance rainfall as it drifts northward and interacts with existing showers and thunderstorms over coastal areas of the southeastern United States into this weekend, Kottlowski stated.
The feature could increase the risk of flooding and produce locally gusty thunderstorms along the southern Atlantic Seaboard into Saturday.
Some communities as far away as the Florida west coast may be hit with heavier-than-average thunderstorms.
"The budding system is likely to move in a curved path around the western edge of an area of high pressure over the central Atlantic ocean," Kottlowski said. "Part of the circulation of the system will be over land."
Bathers and boaters from eastern Florida to the Carolinas should be alert for rapidly changing seas and surf. The pattern is conducive for the formation of waterspouts and brief tornadoes.
Another system of interest, dubbed 99L, may behave in a similar manner in part of the same general area during early next week.
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