MIAMI — Tropical Storm Eta has weakened to a tropical depression. It's expected to move back over water tomorrow where it will restrengthen back into a tropical storm.
According to the 4 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center, Eta has maximum sustained winds near 30 mph with higher gusts and is producing life-threatening flash flooding over parts of Central America.
The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph.
A northwestward motion is expected later tonight through Thursday morning. A turn toward the north, and then the northeast is forecast to occur Thursday night and Friday.
Additional weakening is expected while Eta remains over land during the next day or so, and Eta could degenerate to a remnant low during that time. However, re-intensification is forecast once the center of Eta moves over the Caribbean Sea.
Eta is forecast to approach the Cayman Islands and western or central Cuba this weekend.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: WPTV Hurricane Guide
There is the potential for heavy rain and gusty winds, over the weekend and into Monday.
"If we're on the right side of the storm, we'll see the worst of it with really some rain squalls coming in and tropical storm conditions possible," said WPTV First Alert Meteorologist James Wieland.
Moisture associated with Eta will move into our area as early as Saturday, bringing with it gusty winds and rain squalls with some downpours mixed in.
On the NHC latest track, Eta is expected to make its closest approach to Florida on Monday and Tuesday as a tropical storm.
