The first system to be observed is Tropical Storm Laura, located about 250 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands.
Tropical storm watches have been issued for St. Maarten, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, Saba and St. Eustatius. Additional watches were placed for Culebra and Vieques in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands and St. Martin and St. Barthelemy.
“Regardless of development, this disturbance is likely to produce heavy rains over much of Central America and southeastern Mexico late this week and this weekend,” the NHC said.
TD-14 is expected to be better organized on Friday, meaning an upgrade to Tropical Storm Marco is likely to occur in the next 24 hours.
An extra focus on the Gulf of Mexico
Both systems are brought to the Gulf of Mexico.
“The longer term forecast for [Tropical Storm Laura] seems to be complicated by the presence of another tropical system [TD 14] in the Gulf of Mexico next week, “said CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller. Another tropical system spinning in the Gulf will make the prognostic track less certain, as tropical storms and hurricanes in close proximity can alter the wind in the atmosphere and affect each other’s track. “
Have we ever had two tropical storm strength systems in the Gulf of Mexico at the same time?
It happened 60 years ago, said tropical researcher Phil Klotzbach. That happened on June 18, 1959.
“On that date, we had an unnamed tropical storm (e.g. added after the season) and Beulah,” Klotzbach said.
Currently, both storms are predicted to intensify to the strength of Category 1 hurricane as they move through the Gulf of Mexico.
“We have never had two hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico at the same time,” Klotzbach points out.
At present, these systems are still several days away from affecting the US, so there is a lot that can change. Since there are two systems to play here, essentially everything from Texas to Florida is an option.
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