MIAMI — Forecasters on Thursday are monitoring a disturbance in the eastern Atlantic while keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Karl, which is slowly moving in Gulf waters toward Mexico.
The disturbance in the eastern Atlantic was several hundred miles to the south of the Cabo Verde Islands early Thursday and is far from the United States, according to the National Hurricane Center. Forecasters think conditions will be “marginally favorable for some slow development” as the system moves west at 5-10 mph over Atlantic waters through early next week.
The hurricane center says the wave has no chance of formation within the next 48 hours and a low 20% chance of formation over the next five days.
As for Karl, the stationary tropical storm has begun moving south-southeast near 5 mph over the Gulf of Mexico and is about 245 miles of north of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, according to the hurricane center’s advisory at 11 a.m. Thursday. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. The storm is not a threat to Florida or the rest of the United States.
Forecasters expect Karl will gradually lose strength sometime Thursday or Friday while approaching the Bay of Campeche coast of Mexico. A tropical storm warning is now in effect for Mexico from Alvarado east to Ciudad del Carmen, which could start to feel Karl’s tropical storm-force winds late Friday. The tropical storm watch for Mexico’s coast north of Alvardo was discontinued in the 11 a.m. advisory.
The forecast shows Karl’s center reaching the Mexican coast in Tabasco or Veracruz late Friday or early Saturday.
“Heavy rainfall associated with Karl could produce instances of flash flooding, with mudslides in areas of higher terrain, across portions of Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas and Oaxaca states in Mexico,” the hurricane center said.
