9/4/18 TUESDAY 11:00 AM EDT
Tropical Storm Gordon is holding steady with winds of 65 mph while tracking northwest at 15 mph. Slight strengthening is still forecast heading into this afternoon with a Category 1 hurricane still forecast as Gordon makes landfall tonight along the north-central Gulf Coast
9/4/18 TUESDAY 8:00 AM EDT
No change in strength for Tropical Storm Gordon, winds still at 65 mph with movement slowing slightly to 15 mph. Some strengthening is expected this afternoon and Gordon is forecast to be a Category 1 hurricane as it makes landfall tonight along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
9/4/18 TUESDAY 5:00 AM EDT
Tropical Storm Gordon is holding steady with 65 mph winds while moving west-northwest through the Gulf of Mexico. Gordon is forecast to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane this afternoon before landfall along the Central Gulf Coast tonight. A Hurricane Warning is in place from the mouth of the Pearl River to the Alabama/Florida border.
9/4/18 TUESDAY 2:00 AM EDT
Tropical Storm Gordon strengthened slightly with winds now at 65 mph moving west-northwest at 17 mph. Conditions will quiet down in SWFL now that Gordon is pulling away from the peninsula, with weather settling back into our normal seasonal pattern moving forward. Gordon is still forecast to make landfall along the Mississippi or Alabama Gulf Coast as a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday night.
9/3/18 MONDAY 11:00 PM EDT
Tropical Storm Gordon is maintaining winds of 60 mph as it moves west-northwest into the Gulf. Rain is winding down across SWFL and should end after midnight. The storm is expected to make landfall as a minimal hurricane Tuesday night on the MS/AL Gulf coast.
9/3/18 MONDAY 8:00 PM EDT
Tropical Storm Gordon has strengthened some more, with winds now at 60 mph. Areas of rain will continue to affect the coastal areas of SWFL along and west of I-75 through midnight before tapering off into Tues. morning. Gordon is still expected to make landfall as a minimal hurricane Tuesday night/Wed. morning on the MS Gulf Coast.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
9/3/18 MONDAY 5:00 PM EDT
5PM Advisory still has Gordon with 50 mph winds and is moving WNW quickly at 17 mph. Steady intensification will occur over the next 24 hours and will reach the northern Gulf Coast late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning possibly as a minimal hurricane. Rain bands continue to rotate around the center of circulation which us just southwest of Sanibel and will move away from the SWFL coast tonight. Winds have been gusting to tropical storm force especially near the coast and this will continue through this evening. Locally heavy rainfall will be possible in some of the stronger rain bands wrapping around the center, with the rain tapering off in intensity later this evening into tonight.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
9/3/18 MONDAY 2:14 PM EDT
Gordon is intensifying with winds now up to 50 mph and hurricane hunters have seen a drop in pressure of about 6 mb. The center of the storm, which is developing an eyewall structure on radar is now tracking just southwest of Marco Island and will continue moving NW into the eastern Gulf this evening. Locally heavy rainfall in feeder bands will continue rotating westward across SWFL this evening, with the greatest threat being flash flooding through tonight.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
9/3/18 MONDAY 11:38 AM EDT
Tropical Storm Gordon is back over open water, now just south of the Collier Co. coast. Rain bands are wrapping around the center of circulation just south of Everglades City. Rain and wind will increase in intensity this afternoon and evening across SWFL as the storm tracks westward into the Gulf. The heaviest rain will occur in Collier Co. where up to 4" will be possible. Some locally higher amounts are possible in the heavier, more persistent rain bands. Tropical storm force wind gusts can be expected in squalls/rain bands through this evening, especially in Collier Co.
The wind shear profile will become more favorable for rotating storms and possible tornadoes later today into tonight as the center of the storm moves farther out into the Gulf, putting us on the favored EAST SIDE. The tornado threat may be limited however due to thick clouds and a lack of instability. Right now we have the tornado threat as a low-end threat but will continue to monitor through the day.
Rain will begin tapering off later tonight as the storm pulls farther away from Florida, but bands of heavy rain will persist into Tuesday. The storm is still expected to strengthen as it moves across the Gulf and a HURRICANE WATCH has now been issued for parts of the northern Gulf coast to the AL/FL state line.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
9/3/18 MONDAY 8:05 AM EDT
Tropical Storm Gordon has formed near the upper Florida Keys with winds of 45 mph. The current track still takes Gordon into the southeastern Gulf later today. Expect periods of heavy rain and gusty winds through this afternoon and evening in SWFL. A Tropical Storm Warning is in place in Collier County.
9/3/18 MONDAY 5:00 AM EDT
Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven continues its track W/NW at 16 mph, centered just southeast of the Florida Peninsula. Rain bands have started sweeping through east to west, with scattered showers and storms expected on and off through this afternoon and evening in SWFL. Wind speeds are still generally quiet, but are expected to pick up this afternoon with gusts to 25mph at times. A Flood Watch remains in effect through this evening for Collier County with 2-4" possible today. On the current track, Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven is still forecast to strengthen to a Tropical Storm as it heads into the southeast Gulf of Mexico. A Tropical Storm Warning is now in place for the central Gulf Coast, from the Florida/Alabama border westward to Morgan City, Louisiana.
9/3/18 MONDAY 2:00 AM EDT
The tropical wave, dubbed Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven, continues to track west/northwest at 15mph and is centered just southeast of the Florida peninsula. The wave is forecast to strengthen to Tropical Storm Gordon at some point today, but the general track remains unchanged. SWFL is still expected to see locally heavy rain and breezy winds on and off throughout Labor Day. A Flood Watch is in place for Collier County through this evening with 2-4" of rain possible, with isolated spots seeing higher rain totals. Winds will average between 10-15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph at times.
FOX 4 METEOROLOGIST DANI BECKSTROM
9/2/18 SUNDAY 1100 PM EDT
No change in the overall structure of the tropical wave as of late Sunday night. The wave will track across the Keys and South Florida through Monday morning then move into the Gulf by Monday afternoon. Steady strengthening is expected as it moves through the Gulf with landfall in LA/MS by Wednesday. Tropical Storm Watch is now up from Morgan City LA to the AL/FL state line.
Expected impacts to SWFL remain unchanged, with the potential for locally heavy rainfall in squalls, gusty easterly winds 15-25, and the possibility of isolated tornadoes in the outer bands through Monday evening. Since the system is moving quickly, it will be in and out of the area by Monday night with only lingering effects near the coast into Tuesday morning.
9/2/18 SUNDAY 218 PM EDT
The National Hurricane Center has updated the chance for development of a tropical wave (Invest 91L) currently located in the Caribbean into a tropical depression or storm up to 70% in 2 days and 90% in 5 days. Hurricane hunter aircraft will investigate the system on Monday and a Tropical Storm Watch may be issued for parts of the northern Gulf Coast later tonight.
Impacts to SWFL will be increased rain coverage, with the potential for locally heavy rainfall tonight through Monday night, an increase in easterly winds (15-25 mph) and the potential for waterspouts and isolated tornadoes in rain bands. The wettest period will occur Monday morning through Monday evening. Flooding should not be a big concern due to the quick movement of the system.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
9/2/18 SUNDAY 817 AM EDT
We are tracking a tropical wave that is now near the Turks and Caicos moving northwestward toward the Florida Straits. This tropical wave will have the potential to bring locally heavy rainfall to South Florida on Monday as it bypasses the area. Conditions are not favorable at the moment for significant development due to stronger upper-level wind shear that is now occurring across much of the Caribbean. Conditions may become more favorable as it enters the Gulf by Tuesday.
We are not expecting anything more than breezy conditions and a higher chance for rain late Sunday into Labor Day across SWFL. Rain chances will decrease as the system moves away later Tuesday into Wednesday. The system will have more significant impacts to the northern Gulf Coast, in particular, southeast Louisiana, the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the Alabama Gulf Coast in the form of coastal flooding and locally heavy rainfall leading to some flash flooding.
The National Hurricane Center is giving this area of disturbed weather a 50% chance of developing into something tropical in 2 days and 80% (HIGH) chance in 5 days. We'll keep you posted on any further developments!
CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
