MIAMI — Tropical Depression 13 has formed over the Atlantic, bringing maximum sustained winds of 35 mph with higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of 11 p.m. the depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 20 mph. This motion is expected to continue for the next few days.
On the forecast track, the depression is expected to move near or north of the northern Leeward Islands by late Friday and near or north of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Saturday.
Gradual strengthening is forecast, and the depression is expected to become a tropical storm by late Thursday.
According to WPTV Meteorologist Steve Villanueva, the storm could impact South Florida by Monday.
Tropical Depression 13 has formed over the tropical central Atlantic. Here are the 11 pm AST Key Messages. For more information, visit https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/ek7Nd1a2X4
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 20, 2020
The WPTV First Alert Weather Team is monitoring all areas of interest in the tropics.
LATEST TROPICS FORECAST:
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WAVE IN CARIBBEAN SEA
A tropical wave in the eastern Caribbean Sea is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms, along with gusty winds.
The National Hurricane Center is giving this wave a 40% chance of development over two days, and an 80% chance of development over five days.
According to WPTV First Alert Meteorologist James Wieland, the forecast models take this into the Gulf of Mexico without impacting our weather.
WAVE IN ATLANTIC OCEAN
A wave located roughly 1,000 miles east of the Windward Islands is forecast to develop into a tropical depression on Wednesday or Thursday.
Wieland said most models bring this system toward South Florida by next Monday or Tuesday, however, the strength of the system is unknown at this time.
"This one we need to pay attention to," Wieland said. "Some of the models barely have it developing into anything, and then the next day it'll have it developing into something. So really tough to pin down at the moment."
WPTV First Alert Meteorologist Steve Villanueva said most computer models take the system through Cuba and into the Gulf of Mexico, and most keep it very weak.
WAVE OFF AFRICA
A large area of showers and thunderstorms, located over Guinea and Sierra-Leone, Africa, has been given a 20% chance of development over the next five days.
According to the NHC, environmental conditions are expected to be marginally conducive for some development of this system while the wave enters the extreme eastern Atlantic on Friday.
By early next week, however, conditions are forecast to become less favorable for tropical cyclone formation.
