The National Hurricane Center was eyeing multiple weather systems including Tropical Storm Franklin and Tropical Depression Harold on Wednesday.
None of the systems posed an imminent threat to Florida.
Tropical Storm Franklin was expected to cross Hispaniola Wednesday and emerge over the southwestern Atlantic by Wednesday night, according to a morning update from the hurricane center. Forecasters anticipate the storm will bring heavy rain across much of Hispaniola into Thursday and could produce significant flash and urban flooding.
Franklin was also bringing tropical storm conditions to portions of the Dominican Republic and Haiti Wednesday morning, forecasters said. The storm was moving north at 10 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
Tropical Storm Harold, which made landfall at Padre Island, Texas on Tuesday morning, weakened to a depression overnight as it moved over northern Mexico. Forecasters expect the system will bring heavy rain to portions of Texas and southern New Mexico and could produce flash flooding. Flash flooding across portions of far northern Mexico was also possible.
The tropical depression is moving west northwest at 14 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 30 mph.
Forecasters are also watching two other systems in the Atlantic.
In the central Atlantic, an area of low pressure — the remnants of former Tropical Storm Emily — was several hundred miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands. Forecasters said the system could regenerate into a tropical depression or storm late this week or this weekend when it moves over the subtropical central Atlantic.
The system has a 50% chance of formation in the next two days and a 70% chance in the next week.
In the eastern Atlantic, showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave several hundred miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands could develop slowly through early next week. The system is expected to move west-northwest across the central Atlantic.
The system has a 10% chance of formation in the next two days and a 30% chance in the next week.
While none of these systems are currently predicted to move over Florida, the busy tropics serve as a reminder to prepare for the remainder of the hurricane season. The peak of the season, when most tropical activity occurs, is mid-August through mid-October.
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Tropical activity is showing no signs of slowing down after Tropical Storm Harold formed Tuesday and made landfall in Texas, adding to a quickly growing list of named storms this season.
The National Hurricane Center was watching two tropical storms — Harold and Franklin — along with three other weather disturbances across the Atlantic on Tuesday. None pose an imminent threat to Florida.
Related: WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Tropical Storm Franklin heads to Hispaniola, Harold weakens to depression
Tropical Storm Harold is the ninth named storm of the season (an unnamed subtropical storm formed in January). The tropical storm became the fourth named Atlantic storm in just 39 hours — the fastest time on record for four named storm formations, according to Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist with Colorado State University.
In an afternoon update from the hurricane center, forecasters said Harold was about 20 miles east-southeast of Hebbronville, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Harold was expected to bring heavy rains to south Texas through early Wednesday and produce areas of flash and urban flooding.
Harold was moving swiftly toward the west-northwest at 21 mph and forecasters expect the system to continue in that direction across south Texas. Forecasters also warned of flash flooding with mudslides across portions of Coahuila and northern Nuevo Leon in Mexico through Wednesday.
Forecasters anticipate Tropical Storm Franklin will usher in heavy rainfall across portions of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola into Thursday. The heavy rain could produce areas of flash and urban flooding along with mudslides.
Franklin was about 230 miles south of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday afternoon and was moving northwest slowly at 7 mph. The system should turn north on Tuesday and continue in that direction through Wednesday. Franklin was expected to reach the southern coast of Hispaniola on Wednesday and then move off the northern coast on Thursday.
Elsewhere in the tropics, Tropical Depression Gert became Post-Tropical Cyclone Gert on Tuesday after hours of hanging on by thread. Forecasters said the remnants of Gert should slowly dissipate.
Forecasters are also watching two other systems in the Atlantic.
One in the eastern Atlantic was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms and could become a tropical depression by later this week as it moves west-northwest across the eastern Atlantic. The system as a 10% chance of formation in two days and a 40% chance in the next week.
In the central Atlantic, the remnants of Tropical Storm Emily were hundreds of miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands. Forecasters said conditions could become more favorable for re-development later this week. The system has a 10% chance of formation in two days and a 30% chance of formation in the next week.
While none of these systems are currently predicted to move over Florida, the busy tropics serve as a reminder to prepare for the remainder of the hurricane season. The peak of the season, when most tropical activity occurs, is mid-August through mid-October.
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How to protect your pets — and yourself — during a hurricane.