Tropical disturbance off Florida’s coast may develop into next named storm this weekend

ORLANDO, Fla. — Channel 9 meteorologists are tracking an area of disturbance that could form into our next named tropical storm this weekend.

The large tropical disturbance is forming off the east coast of Florida and Georgia. As of Friday evening, it was still off Daytona Beach and is still very disorganized.

The system is tied to the tail end of a front that is helping to spin off the tropical development.

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Continued tropical development is expected for Friday and into Saturday.

Models generally show a slow move south, then west by Sunday. Saturday will be drier overall.

A disorganized center is forming in the Atlantic, in line with the border of Georgia and Florida. Most of the storm activity is setting east of the area of development.

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The National Hurricane Center is giving this area a 30% to 40% chance of development over the next few days.

The path of this system is unclear because there is not a lot of wind to move it in any specific direction.

The system may just sit in the Atlantic as it strengthens.

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Some storm models suggest it may just slowly creep to the south, but it could also move to the east or west.

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• Chief meteorologist Tom Terry
• Kassandra Crimi
• George Waldenberger
• Rusty McCranie
• Brian Shields

There may be a developed tropical system off the coast of Florida by Saturday afternoon.

If the system moves to the east, it may bring in drier air to Florida this weekend. But if this system moves to the west, Florida may see enhanced storm activity for the weekend.

Depending on its development, this system may just fall apart, but that will not be clear until closer to Monday.

If this develops into a named storm, it will be called Fred.

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Cox Media Group