Potential Tropical Cyclone Two moved across the Caribbean Sea Thursday night and is expected to strengthen as it approaches Central America.
It had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph as it moved west at 21 mph about 410 miles east of Bluefields, Nicaragua, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
A hurricane watch, tropical storm warning and a tropical storm watch are in effect for parts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Forecasts have the system continuing its fast movement before moving across Central America on Friday and emerging over the eastern Pacific Ocean this coming weekend.
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Impacts for those areas remain heavy rainfall with isolated amounts up to 12 inches as well as strong winds. There will also be a potential for flash flooding and mudslides in the impacted areas. Along the coast of Nicaragua, the forecast is calling for 1-3 feet of storm surge near the center of the storm around landfall.
Formation could make it Tropical Storm Bonnie while possibly becoming a hurricane both before and after crossing land.
Hurricane Season 2022
Two other potential systems are also being tracked, with one in the northern Gulf of Mexico having a 30 percent chance of development over the next two days and expected to impact Texas. An area in the central Atlantic Ocean has a 10 percent chance of development over the next five days as it moves to the west-northwest.
One thing that seems to be likely is the moisture from this wave not reaching South Florida until at least Tuesday or Wednesday, after the 4th of July. Computer models show this tropical wave could spread rain across the area, but it's early and the NBC 6 First Alert Weather team will continue to watch.
The 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially began June 1 with researchers predicting an "above-normal" year.
The first named system occurred in early June, when Tropical Storm Alex formed off Florida's east coast after moving across the state, dropping massive rainfall and causing flooding in South Florida as Potential Tropical Cyclone One.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's averages for the Atlantic hurricane season is 14 named storms and seven hurricanes. The average for major hurricanes is three.
Last month, NOAA released their predictions for this year, calling for an "above-normal" 2022 with 14-21 named storms expected.
