Jul 16, 2008 2:39 pm US/Eastern
Low-Pressure System May Become Next Depression
If Low Pressure System Strengthens To Storm, It'll Be Named Cristobal
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
A low pressure system located east of the Windward Islands has the potential to become a tropical depression on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center, where forecasters are busy tracking four systems, including Tropical Storm Bertha.
The system is located about 200 miles east of the Windward Islands, which include Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Dominica.
An Air Force Reserve Reconnaissance aircraft is currently investigating the system to determine whether it has strengthened into a depression.
The NHC has been watching this system for the past several days. Regardless of development, the system is expected to bring gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall to the Windward Islands during the next day or so.
The National Hurricane Center is also watching an area of disorganized thunderstorm over the Florida Peninsula and adjacent Gulf of Mexico waters which is associated with a low pressure system.
This system is expected to bring heavy rains to the Florida peninsula as it moves northward during the next day or so. It is not expected to develop due to its interaction with land.
The National Hurricane Center is also tracking a tropical wave over the southwestern Caribbean Sea about 300 miles east of Nicaragua. Forecasters say the wave is showing some signs of organization and has the potential for further development before moving into Central America late Thursday. Heavy rain and gusty winds are likely to move over portions of Nicaragua and Honduras Thursday with flash flooding and mudslides possible in higher terrain.
The next system that strengthens into a tropical storm, with winds of 39 to 73 mph, will be named Cristobal.
Tropical Storm Bertha, meanwhile, is back out over open ocean after it battered Bermuda and knocked out electricity to thousands on the Atlantic tourist island. Bertha is the longest-lived July tropical storm in history and on Wednesday, entered its 13th day.
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