US Hurricane Alert: Prepare for Potential Impacts This Week

US Hurricane Alert

Hurricane Alert: Storm in Western Caribbean Expected to Intensify / US Hurricane Alert: Prepare for Potential Impacts This Week

US Hurricane Alert: Prepare for Potential Impacts This Week! The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is monitoring a developing storm in the western Caribbean, likely to intensify and move northward, potentially making landfall in the U.S. by Thursday. A tropical storm could form within the next two days, with forecasts suggesting it may become a hurricane before impacting Florida or the Gulf Coast.

The NHC noted that showers and thunderstorms associated with a broad area of low pressure are becoming more organized. Environmental conditions are favorable for development, giving the system an 80% chance of becoming a tropical cyclone within 48 hours and a 90% chance over the next week.

AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert, Alex DaSilva, emphasized that residents along the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend should prepare for possible hurricane impacts. He warned that tall pine trees in these areas can be hazardous during high winds, referencing damage from Hurricane Idalia last August.

If the storm reaches tropical storm strength, it will be named Helene. As it moves into the Gulf of Mexico, it may bring heavy rainfall, storm surge, and strong winds to the northern and northeastern Gulf Coast. The NHC urged residents to stay updated and ensure their hurricane plans are in place.

Additionally, heavy rainfall is expected across parts of Nicaragua, Honduras, the Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands, raising concerns for flash flooding and mudslides.

In the eastern Atlantic, another disturbance has a 70% chance of developing into a tropical storm this week, following NOAA’s warning of above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic for 2024 due to warm ocean temperatures and favorable atmospheric conditions. The hurricane season officially ends on November 30.