Tropical Depression Nine is predicted to mark the Atlantic season's first hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center. The National Hurricane Center anticipates the depression will develop into a tropical storm by Wednesday.
Furthermore, the NHC expects the system has the potential to become a hurricane on Thursday. This marks the first time a season hurricane has formed this late, since 8 October 1905.
On Tuesday afternoon, the system was situated approximately 630 miles south-west of the mouth of the Mississippi River. At that time, the system maintained maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.
Alex DaSilva stated that the storm should avoid the strongest wind shear until the end of the week as it nears the central Gulf coast. The system is generally expected to approach the central Gulf coast late this week.
The most probable area for US landfall stretches from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle. Residents should prepare for 3 to 6 inches of rain across parts of the central US from Friday through the weekend.
Additionally, flash and urban flooding, alongside isolated river flooding, remain possible. Should the system reach hurricane strength, gusts between 60 and 80 mph could occur near its centre.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall from a separate tropical wave caused flooding and landslides in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Consequently, schools in St Vincent and the Grenadines were closed on Tuesday.
