System could bring heavy rain to parts of Central America: See storm tracker
The National Hurricane Center said Friday morning, June 27, it is monitoring a system in the Atlantic basin that could produce heavy rains over portions of Central America.
Hurricane center forecasters said an area of "disorganized showers and thunderstorms" currently over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and the adjacent land areas is forecast to move west-northwestward into the Bay of Campeche Saturday or Saturday night, where an area of low pressure could form.
"Subsequent development is possible on Sunday or Monday if the system remains offshore of the coast of Mexico," the hurricane center Friday morning. However, regardless of development, locally heavy rains are possible over portions of Belize, Guatemala, and southeastern Mexico during the next few days.
The hurricane center gives the system a 20% chance of development through the next seven days.
System in Pacific expected to strengthen into tropical depression in coming days
Meanwhile in the Pacific, the hurricane center said it is continuing to monitor a system, currently labeled as EP95, it expects to become a tropical depression soon.
Hurricane center forecasters said Friday morning that showers and thunderstorms associated with a broad area of low pressure located a few hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec "have changed little overnight and remain disorganized."
The NHC said environmental conditions are forecast to become more conducive for development during the next couple of days, and a tropical depression is "expected to form by late this weekend or early next week" as the system moves west-northwestward off the coast of southern Mexico.
The system has a 50% chance of formation through the next 48 hours and a 90% chance of formation through the next seven days.
Storm tracker
This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time.
EP95 spaghetti models
This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time.
How do hurricanes form?
Hurricanes are born in the tropics, above warm water. Clusters of thunderstorms can develop over the ocean when water temperatures exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression.
A tropical depression becomes a named tropical storm once its sustained wind speeds reaches 39 miles per hour. When its winds reach 74 mph, the storm officially becomes a hurricane.
Prepare now for hurricanes
Delaying potentially life-saving preparations could mean waiting until it's too late. "Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period," NOAA recommends.
Prepare now for hurricanes: Here's what you should do to stay safe before a storm arrives
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.
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