Tropical Storm Fernand Forms in Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Dorian Nears US

Hurricane Dorian is still approaching the coast of Florida, and another Tropical Storm is already forming. The National Hurricane Center has issued an initial warning about the impending storms, but there are not a lot of details available yet. The storm has been named, however, as Tropical Storm Fernand.

The National Hurricane Center issued its warning about Fernand on Tuesday afternoon. It advised the people of the Gulf of Mexico to keep an eye on the storm, which could bring more trouble to the already battered area.

So far, experts predict that Fernand will follow a direct Westerly path, running right into Texas and Mexico before it can pick up more steam over the water. According to a report by AccuWeather, Fernand has maximum wind speeds of about 40 miles per hour, and is currently centered about 160 miles east of La Pesca, Mexico. It is projected to head straight for land, where it will bring heavy storm conditions to parts of Central America.

Although it may not gain hurricane status, experts are warning people in the storm’s path not to take Fernand lightly. There is a high possibility of flash flooding, mudslides, washouts and rough surf. They also warn that it could still become stronger before it reaches the coast.

At the time of this writing, meteorologists are projecting between six and 10 inches of rain from Fernand. In the dry area however, this could be enough to cause some serious damage, including mudslides.

Fernand was upgraded to a tropical storm at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday. It formed just after Tropical Storm Erin, following the scientific standard of naming the systems alphabetically. Erin passed down the coast of Canada and New England, moving south-east. However, its effects were limited to rough surf and strong rip currents, with just a little flooding along certain parts of the coast.

Meanwhile, another high pressure system is already forming in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, which experts believe may turn into Tropical Storm Gabrielle. This could mean that four named storms could co-exist this week with non-consecutive alphabetical names.

Whatever happens, the Caribbean will have to recover from Hurricane Dorian. The storm brought Category 5 conditions to the Bahamas, hovering over the islands for a prolonged period. In that time, it weakened to a Category 4 and then a Category 3 storm.

Dorian finally passed beyond the Bahamas on Tuesday afternoon, and will soon begin to impact the coast of Florida. Check back for updates on the 2019 hurricane season.