Tropical Depression Soon to Impact South Florida, Keys

AccuWeather.com reports a new tropical depression that is being monitored for possible strengthening into a tropical storm in the Atlantic Basin will spread drenching and gusty thunderstorms from the Bahamas to South Florida into Friday before entering the Gulf of Mexico.

The depression is currently located over warm, open waters between the Bahamas and Cuba, heading in a west-northwestward fashion. The track of the system should allow the center of circulation to pass through the Florida Straits, the waterway between Florida and Cuba, on Friday.

It appears the system has developed a low-level circulation, indicative of a tropical depression at this time and has been so dubbed. Tropical Depression 3 could soon be a tropical storm.

The depression is producing squalls, or bands and clusters of thunderstorms well away from its center, across the southeastern Bahamas, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The squalls are forecast to spread over more of the Bahamas and eastern Cuba today then reach Florida's southeast coast late tonight. That includes Miami and West Palm Beach.

The thunderstorms are expected to spread over more of South Florida, such as Naples and Key West on Friday.

It is also possible a couple of drenching thunderstorms or even gusty squalls roll through central Florida, including Melbourne, Orlando and Tampa, on Friday.

AccuWeather meteorologists are forecasting the system to track toward the northern Gulf Coast and the oil spill area this weekend.

If you have questions or want to speak to a meteorologist, contact:

Roberti@AccuWeather.com