3 days Ago By Elainie Barraza
What was Hurricane Rafael downgraded to a tropical storm as the system still heads west into the Gulf of Mexico and continues to be no threat to land for now, the National Hurricane Center kept track of another system with low odds to develop into the season’s next tropical depression or storm. As of the NHC 7 a.m.
tropical outlook, a trough of low pressure located a couple of hundred miles east of the central Bahamas is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. “Development, if any, of this system should be slow to occur during the next day or two while it moves westward to west-northwestward. Regardless of development, locally heavy rains and gusty winds are possible across the Bahamas through Sunday,” forecasters said.
The NHC gave it a 10% chance of development in the next two to seven days. Meanwhile, Rafael has downgraded to a tropical storm as the system continues to move west-northwest in the Gulf of Mexico. As of the NHC 4 a.
m. tropical outlook, Tropical Storm Rafael was 265 miles west-northwest of Progresso, Mexico and 405 miles east of Mouth of the Rio Grande moving west north west at 6 mph. Its maximum sustained winds are 65 mph and tropical-storm force winds extend outward up to 90 miles from the center.
“Rafael is likely to move slowly south-southwestward toward the southwestern Gulf of Mexico through early next week,” forecasters said. Rafael became the 17th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1-Nov. 30.
It was the 11th hurricane and fifth major hurricane of the above average season..
