Floridians keeping an eye on the tropics can breathe a collective sigh of relief as the chances Tropical Storm Nadine will form continue to dwindle.
The National Hurricane Center has been tracking two tropical disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean and the western Caribbean Sea over the past week.
Invest 94L in the Atlantic seemed the most likely candidate to develop into Tropical Storm Nadine , the next named storm, but the NHC has gradually downgraded its chances throughout the week.
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The western Caribbean tropical disturbance could gradually develop over the next few days, but the chances are low. The system is expected to move inland over Central America where it will produce heavy rainfall across the region and southern Mexico over the weekend.
Florida will be protected from any development regardless of how either storm pans out, thanks to strong wind shear that AccuWeather says will "disrupt and likely break apart" any tropical systems attempting to move toward the southeastern United States.
Here's what to know about the latest tropical disturbances.
Invest 94L's chances of formation continue to dwindle
Invest 94L is still a trough of low pressure producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms a few hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands.
Some development is expected from the system as it moves quickly westward to west-northwestward around 20 mph, passing near the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Friday and near Hispaniola and the southeastern Bahamas on Saturday.
Strong upper-level winds will likely end any chances of further development by the late weekend, however.
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Western Caribbean tropical disturbance to move inland over Central America this weekend
The tropical disturbance that spawned as a result of the gyre in the western Caribbean Sea is expected to see some development before it moves inland over Central America this weekend.
The chances of tropical formation are just 20%. Regardless of how things shake out for the tropical wave, it's expected to produce locally heavy rainfall across portions of Central America and southern Mexico.
Florida's Atlantic coast is in for rough waters
While things in the tropics look relatively safe compared to the past month, Floridians living along the Atlantic coast should be wary of the negative effects of strong wind shear, according to AccuWeather.
Those persistent breezes from the northeast will cause rough surf and create tides higher than astronomical levels, which it says could trigger coastal flooding and beach erosion. Beaches will also see frequent and strong rip currents.
"Cities such as Miami, which are prone to flooding in certain high tide situations, will likely experience significant overwash and street flooding," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
When is the end of hurricane season in Florida?
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will wrap up on Nov. 30.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Chances for Tropical Storm Nadine dwindle as NHC lowers Invest 94L formation odds
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