Three areas of tropical storm activity continue to unfold inthe south and central Atlantic, and two of them posepotential danger to land, meaning a second hurricane could strike New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
Tropical Depression 16 has formed between Bermuda andFlorida over the past 24 hours and has triggered tropicalstorm warnings for the east coast of Florida from Jupiter toMerritt Island. At present, this is expected to become atropical storm by midnight tonight, and to begin to movenorthwestward. Should it remain intact as it crosses Floridaand enter the Gulf of Mexico, it is likely, because of airand water conditions still present there, to evolve into amuch larger storm.
Tropical Storm Nate is south of Bermuda but its movement isbeing retarded by a stationary front to the west of thestorm, but if that front disorganizes further, this stormremains potentially dangerous to the continental United States.
Hurricane Maria is far out to sea and moving northeastward.It is over cooler waters and weakening, but the possibilitythat it will strengthen again if it moves into warmer watercloser to land remains a possibility. The greater likelihoodis that it will break up in mid-Atlantic.
It is unusual for there to be so many storms either activeor in formation in the Atlantic at the same time, and thisis an indication that this hurricane season remains verydangerous. Normally, the season ends in mid-October, but dueto overheated waters, it could continue longer this year.
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