Introduction: ‘Tropical Cyclone 4’

The National Hurricane Center began issuing
special warnings Friday morning for parts of South
Florida to Florida’s west coast. The Category 4 tropical
storm was officially designated at 11 a.m. Friday.

Potential Tropical Storm (PTC) tags allow the National
Hurricane Center to issue warnings and watches.
This happens with systems that are not well
organized but can quickly go wrong.

Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 54 Florida counties.

The system remains in a very turbulent state and will
continue to pass over Cuba today into the early

hours of Saturday morning. As the system emerges
along the Strait of Florida, it is expected to become

more organized and have well-defined circulation centers.
The National Hurricane Center expects the system to
officially become a tropical storm and reach Dubai by Saturday evening.

What to expect in Florida?

It will be a holiday weekend for many in Florida.
The risk of flash flooding will increase over the weekend.
Heavy rains will arrive in South Florida overnight Friday

and move north through Saturday, impacting Central
and North Florida. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are
expected to continue across South Florida on Saturday.

Overall, Sunday will be the worst weekend for the state.
As the system approaches the central West Coast,
areas that may see some showers on Saturday

will experience more intense thunderstorm activity.
Therefore, the ground is already
well saturated and the risk of flooding is higher.

How much precipitation?

About 10 inches of rain is expected for most of Florida’s
west coast by next Wednesday.
This can cause serious problems,

especially for those who are not already taking
proper precautions. If you are in a flood-prone area,
flooding is likely.

Other hazards

This will not be a major wind event for Florida,
but keep in mind that thunderstorms can develop
in the rain belt and produce strong winds that

can knock down tree branches and weak power lines.
The sea is dangerous with high
waves and the risk of rip currents.