Floridians advised to plan as chance of storm in Gulf increases

Weather forecasters continue to eye a broad area of low pressure near Central America that could develop into a tropical storm or a hurricane and affect Florida late this week.

But exactly where the storm goes and how strong it will be remains unclear as rains and thunderstorms related to the system were disorganized Sunday.

“There is still a lot of uncertainty,” said Rodney Wynn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Tampa Bay. “There is going to be shifts in this storm when it does form up. We’re telling everybody from the west coast (of Florida) to the northern gulf coast to plan for this. It could impact a very large area.”

The National Hurricane Center reported Sunday afternoon that the system, which sat near Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, had an 80% chance of development in the next seven days and a 40% chance of forming in the next two days. It is likely to form into a tropical depression or a tropical storm in the next few days as it moves north into the Gulf of Mexico.

Once a storm develops, forecasters will have a better idea of where it will go. Most current models show possible storm tracks toward the Florida panhandle and the state’s Big Bend area, while some show tracks closer to Tampa Bay.

Any storm system could impact the Tampa Bay area regardless of where it tracks. Rain chances will increase midweek, Wynn said. A storm would bring deteriorating marine conditions, possible water spouts and tornadoes, gusty winds and threat of storm surge.

People should prepare hurricane kits with essential supplies, develop an emergency plan for their families, determine if they live in a flood zone and pay attention to the latest weather forecasts, Wynn said.

Forecasters are also eyeing another swath of the map in the eastern Atlantic, where they say a tropical wave could develop over the coming week and move west. The Hurricane Center gave that system a 50% chance of forming over the next 7 days.

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