TD13 forms, Hurricane Kirk strengthens, Caribbean system works to develop

Channel 9 meteorologists are monitoring several active tropical systems this week.

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11:30 a.m. update:

The tropics remain active as an area in the Caribbean begins to lift into the Gulf of Mexico, and another new system forms in the open Atlantic.

Tropical Depression Thirteen developed Wednesday morning with winds of 35 mph.

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The system is expected to be a tropical storm Wednesday night and a hurricane this weekend.

It will likely remain out to sea.

Elsewhere, a Caribbean disturbance is slowly lifting northward into the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center is still giving the system a 40% chance of development, but any organization will be very slow and may not happen until early next week.

Regardless of development, the threat of rain will increase next week in Central Florida.

Finally, Hurricane Kirk is on track to become a major hurricane in the open Atlantic.

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It will likely be a Category 3 storm on Thursday as it pivots out to the North Atlantic.

Original report:

A low-pressure area in the Caribbean continues to build and become organized.

The disturbance will move into the Gulf of Mexico later this week.

Read: Hurricane Helene recovery: How you can help

It’s still too soon to know where the system will eventually go, but some forecast models have it moving over Florida next week.

This will help bump up our rain chance this weekend and most of next week.

Watch: Several active tropical systems are being tracked in the Atlantic

Hurricane Kirk is also spinning in the Central Atlantic.

Kirk is forecast to become a major Category 3 hurricane by the end of the week, but thankfully it will stay out to sea.

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Another disturbance on Kirk’s heels could also develop this week.

That system is also forecast to stay out to sea.

Channel 9 will continue to monitor all active systems in the tropics and provide updates on Eyewitness News.

Follow our Severe Weather team on X for live updates:

• Chief meteorologist Tom Terry
• Brian Shields
• Kassandra Crimi
• David Heckard