South Florida may have dodged a bullet when it comes to the Invest 99L tropical disturbance, as the National Hurricane Center says it has become significantly less organized over the past 24 hours and its chances for development have decreased.
The disturbance was over the Central Bahamas Friday and moving towards the west northwest at about 10 mph. The aircraft reconnaissance mission was canceled for Friday morning because of the lack of organization from Invest 99L.
The NHC has again decreased the odds of the system developing to between 20 and 50 percent. The system does have the potential to become more organized over the weekend as it moves across the Florida Straits and into the Gulf of Mexico and potentially be a threat to the panhandle.
The NHC said it's possible that at a minimum South Florida will feel heavy rains and gusty winds this weekend, likely between one to three inches on Monday. Also, a high risk of rip currents is possible this weekend and into early next week.
The South Florida Water Management District said they're readying the regional flood control system for potential heavy rainfall associated with the tropical disturbance.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Gaston is moving northwestward in the Atlantic with no change in strength.
The storm's maximum sustained winds early Friday were near 65 mph. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says strengthening is forecast during the next two days and Gaston could re-strengthen to a hurricane by Friday night or on Saturday.
Local
The storm is centered about 1,195 miles east-southeast of Bermuda and is moving northwest near 17 mph.