Florida

South Florida Faces Soggy Conditions From Tropical Depression in Gulf of Mexico

Though no longer a threat to directly strike South Florida, the effects of Tropical Depression Nine are expected to be felt over the next few days as the storm continues to survive in the Gulf of Mexico.

The storm, with winds over 35 miles per hour, is still poorly organized according to forecasters as it moves away from the Florida Straits and Cuba.

As of 5 a.m. EDT, the depression was centered about 155 miles (245 kilometers) west-southwest of Key West, Florida, and was moving west near 9 mph (15 kph)

As of 5 AM, the depression was centered about 155 miles west-southwest of Key West and was moving west near 9 mph.

Even with that, the storm could still become a tropical storm in the next 24 to 36 hours and continue on a path that could have it hit the Big Bend region of North Florida later in the week, possibly Thursday.

For South Florida, betweetn one and three inches of rain is expected over the next 48 hours, with some areas possibly getting even more. The heaviest storms are expected to bring winds between 35 and 40 MPH, while the rip current risk remains high on the beaches across the area.

 Meanwhile, another tropical depression that formed west of Bermuda was moving toward the coast of North Carolina. That depression is expected to become a tropical storm overnight and threatens to bring wind and rain to eastern North Carolina.

The depression was centered about 230 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and was moving west-northwest near 10 mph.

A tropical storm watch was in effect for North Carolina's coast from Cape Lookout to Oregon Inlet.

Farther east, Hurricane Gaston has weakened a little as it drifted northward in the middle of the Atlantic.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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