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A new storm system is brewing in the Atlantic and has the Caribbean in its sights – and maybe even America – later in the week.
Currently, the unformed system is near the Lesser and Greater Antilles in the Atlantic, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Forecasters give it a 40 percent chance to become a formed system within 48 hours. However, there is an 80 percent chance it will become a formed storm in the next seven days.
The system is expected to move west-northwestward at 15 to 20 mph.
Forecasters say the system will likely become a tropical depression in the middle of next week. The system’s current path puts it on a collision course with the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic.
The potential impacts on America are too soon to tell, but its path shows the storm putting the US in its range. But that could change in the next week as weather patterns change.
It’s too soon to know how powerful the storm could become when it hits land. If it becomes a formed storm it would be named Ernesto.
“There is a likelihood if this tropical feature survives to the zone near and just north of the Caribbean next week, it will go on to become a tropical storm, and from there, it could be drawn in close enough to the East Coast of the U.S. to be a direct concern,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex said.
The newest storm comes days after Hurricane Debby drenched Florida and the East Coast with heavy rains, strong winds and dangerous flooding. At least eight people were killed from the impacts of Debby.
Debby hit Florida as a Category 1 storm with winds of up to 80 mph. It flooded parts of the state and rescue crews had to help rescue stranded people.
Parts of South Carolina and Georgia saw a foot of rain in the flooding.
The East Coast was also soaked by the remnants of the storm with rain and strong winds causing poor conditions and thousands of flight delays in New York City.
Source: independent.co.uk
