Slow moving Tropical Depression Fourteen is located near Yucatan Peninsula, 90 miles south of Cozumel, Mexico, and headed north-northwest currently. It is anticipated that the Depression will likely form into a tropical storm today, Sunday the 7th of October.
It is anticipated that fourteen/Michael will be drawn northward through the Gulf of Mexico and could possibly threaten the U.S.’s Gulf Coast this week, midweek. Heavy rains and strong winds are expected as the storm intensifies, though it’s too early to know the exact impacts from this particular storm system.
Landfall is projected to occur around the Mississippi/Alabama border and the Florida panhandle Wednesday or Wednesday night as a Category 1 hurricane when it finally makes landfall. Expected winds of 39+mph will likely arrive on the U.S. Gulf Coast Wednesday strengthening to hurricane force winds of 74+mph as the storm intensifies to a hurricane. It is not expected that this particular storm will stall out the way that Florence did and will not likely bring extreme rainfall levels, though there is still the dangers of storm surge flooding along the immediate coastline.
Tropical Storm Warnings have been issued to western Cuba and northeast Yucatan, and as always, those in the path of the storm are encouraged to continue listening to weather reports and warnings as well as evacuation protocols to remain safest.