Tropical Depression Forms in the Bahamas, Warnings Posted

The National Hurricane Center issued Tropical Storm Warnings for the Florida Keys this morning as a newly formed Tropical Depression was moving toward the south Florida coast from the Bahamas this morning. According to a statement, the depression may form into a storm later today, and begin to impact parts of Florida in the coming days. The longer range outlook takes the storm into the Gulf of Mexico this weekend. A good reminder to travelers heading south that Hurricane Season is now upon us.

Hurricane Jimena Gaining Strength Off Coast of Mexico

Travelers to Baja California/Cabo should monitor the latest Hurricane Center updates.

As of 11:00 PM Eastern:

Hurricane Watch issued for Southern Baja Region

Jimena was located 255 miles SSW of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico, moving NW at 7mph. Maximum sustained winds are 145mph, making it a Category 4 - major hurricane. The likely track of the storm is illustrated to the left, courtesy of Weather Underground.

Several Tropical Disturbances Being Monitored

We are in the heart of Hurricane Season in the U.S., and several tropical disturbances have recently formed over the Atlantic and Pacific. Here are the latest Sunday afternoon advisories and forecast tracks. Stay tuned for updates, and possible impacts travel in the week to come.


Data supplied by the National Hurricane Center

Atlantic:

• Tropical Storm Claudette located is just off the Florida Panhandle is expected to move inland over the next 24-hours. Maximum sustained winds are currently at 50 mph.
• Tropical Depression Ana is located near the Leeward islands, moving WNW at 23 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 35 mph. Long-range models bring Ana into the Gulf of Mexico late in the week.
• Tropical Storm Bill, located far out into the Atlantic, has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. Bill is showing significant signs of strengthening, and some models bring the storm to a Category 4 hurricane within a few days. Long-range forecasts indicate Bill will be located over the Atlantic, South of Bermuda, by the end of the week.

Pacific:

• Hurricane Guillermo is currently 1000 miles East of Hilo, Hawaii. Maximum sustained winds of 85mph. The storm is expected to gradually weaken and push to the Northwest, and not directly impact the Hawai'ian islands.

Travel Advisory: Hurricane Felix now a Category 5 Hurricane

Hurricane Season is in full force! Hurricane Felix (to the left), currently located Southeast of Jamaica has just been upgraded to a Cat 5 Hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph. The projected path takes it through the Caribbean then at for Belize and/or the Mexican Yucatan by Midweek. After crossing inland, the storm is expected to reemerge, over the Gulf of Mexico late next week.

Also, Tropical Storm Henriette, about 300 miles Southeast of Cabo, Mexico is expected to become a Hurricane within the next 24 hours, making landfall somewhere along Southern Baja Peninsula Tuesday.

Folks traveling to these areas over the next week should be aware of potential travel interruptions.