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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The new tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico continues to move westward, inching just below Florida.
The National Hurricane Center said the trough of low pressure is located a couple hundred miles east of the central Bahamas, producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
Over the next 48 hours, it has a 10% chance of development, along with a 10% chance over the course of seven days.
“Some slight development of this system is possible before it moves into unfavorable environmental conditions,” the NHC added.
The disturbance will travel across the Bahamas through Sunday night.
WFLA’s Max Defender 8 team will continue to monitor the system, although it is not expected to impact the Tampa Bay area.
Hurricane Rafael continues to rapidly weaken as it moves south, very slowly. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and is expected to weaken even more with the wind shear and dry air.
Meteorologist Eric Stone said he expects the hurricane to weaken to a tropical depression either on Sunday or Monday. Rafael will become post-tropical, as its remnants move toward southern Mexico by the middle of the week.
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