FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Nearly one month into hurricane season, forecasters are monitoring three storm systems in the Atlantic.
The system headed in the general direction of the eastern Caribbean and South Florida, is fizzling. It is expected to it move west-northwest for the next few days, reaching the eastern Caribbean by the weekend.
Further development, however, is unlikely, according to the National Hurricane Center, due to factors such as the presence of storm-shredding wind shear. No rain impact is expected in South Florida from that system over the long holiday weekend.
A few strong thunderstorms are possible locally through Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Isolated scattered showers are in the forecast, as is typical for South Florida summers.
Tropical Storm Bonnie is expected to form in the Caribbean Sea from the system known as Potential Tropical Cyclone Two and pose a threat to parts of Central America, specifically Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
And a third system in the Gulf of Mexico could become a short-lived tropical depression off the Texas coast, forecasters said. It is expected to turn north and head inland while dumping rain on areas near Houston.
As of 8 a.m. Thursday, the system expected to become Bonnie was located 710 miles east of Nicaragua and moving west at 20 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. Tropical-storm force winds extended up to 80 miles from its center.
Forecasters said the system could become Tropical Storm Bonnie at any time. It is not yet a tropical storm because it lacks a closed circulation, according to the hurricane center.
Its current forecast track is expected to take it across the southwestern Caribbean through Friday, over southern Nicaragua or northern Costa Rica, and then out over the eastern Pacific Ocean Saturday.
A tropical cyclone passing this far south is rare in June and more typical in autumn, according to AccuWeather.
“During June, there has never been a named tropical system in more than 150 years of records near the coast of South America during La Niña conditions,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist John Feerick said.
The system is expected to restrengthen once over the Pacific Ocean, the hurricane center said.
Meanwhile, the system in the northern Gulf of Mexico is expected to approach southern Texas and northern Mexico later Thursday. It’s possible it could become a tropical depression, but it would quickly lose that status once it moves over inland Texas, the hurricane center said.
It has been given it a 40% chance of developing in the next two to five days.
Regardless of development, it is expected to bring heavy rain to parts of Texas and Mexico, providing some drought relief.
The next named storm to form after Bonnie would be called Colin.
Hurricane season runs June 1 through Nov. 30.
