NC Watching New Tropical Storm Brewing In Atlantic

NORTH CAROLINA — Less than two weeks after Hurricane Dorian slammed into coastal North Carolina, state emergency officials say they are closely watching another tropical storm headed toward Florida’s east coast.

“While tropical formation is likely with the disturbance near the southeastern Bahamas, there is great uncertainty with respect to the future track,” the North Carolina Emergency Management said Thursday. “Continue to monitor this system over the coming days.”

A tropical storm watch was issued for parts of the east coast of Florida late Thursday night as a tropical storm warning remained in effect for storm-ravaged areas of the northwestern Bahamas. Florida could be affected this weekend.

Weather officials are calling the system Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, which now appears to be heading toward Central Florida.

"The disturbance is moving northwestward at about 3 mph ... and this general motion is expected to continue with an increase in forward speed through the weekend," the National Hurricane Center early Friday morning. "On the forecast track, the system is anticipated to move across the central and northwestern Bahamas today, and along or over the east coast of Florida on Saturday."

Senior Meteorologist Robert Molleda with the National Weather Service in Miami cautioned earlier that the storm was still taking shape and lacked a well-defined circulation center. He said there is a high degree of uncertainty surrounding the system.

"This is not a repeat of Dorian," he said, adding that the reasonable worst case scenario is that the the system will become a tropical storm. "It could bring some gusty winds. It could bring some locally heavy rains."

The system is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 2 to 4 inches along the U.S. southeast coast from central Florida through southeastern Georgia with the potential for tropical-storm-force winds to reach the southeastern coast of North Carolina by Sunday evening.

The National Hurricane Center estimated that the system has an 80 percent chance of forming into a tropical depression or tropical storm over the next 48 hours and a 90 percent chance over the next five days.

The system was located about 290 miles southeast of Freeport Grand Bahama Island and about 210 miles southeast of Great Abaco Island with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph. Both areas are still reeling from Dorian.

Here’s the National Weather Center’s forecast for the Charlotte metro region:
Today (Sept. 13)
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. East northeast wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms likely before 2am, then a slight chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 70. East northeast wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Saturday (Sept. 14)
A slight chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Patchy fog between 7am and 8am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. East northeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Light east wind.
Sunday (Sept. 15)
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Monday (Sept. 16)
Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.

Patch Editor Paul Scicchitano contributed