Is another hurricane coming to Florida—or the surrounding Southeast and Gulf Coast? That’s the question on everyone’s mind as Tropical Storm Kirk grows.
Here’s what we know: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said it expected Tropical Storm Kirk to become a hurricane “by tomorrow,” and it “could become a major hurricane by midweek.” The NHC is busy tracking Kirk and a few other tropical systems.
“The environment around Kirk appears quite favorable for strengthening during the next several days, with warm waters, a moist environment and low shear in forecast,” said a NHC advisory. “Still, almost all the guidance show Kirk becoming quite a large and powerful hurricane.”
On Monday, Tropical Storm Kirk was about 700 miles off the Cabo Verde Islands, moving at 12 mph with sustained winds at 50 mph, according to the NHC. Current models show its path traveling west.
Joyce and Isaac weaken
Forecasters expect that two other tropical systems, now located in the North Atlantic Ocean, will weaken in the coming days. Neither Tropical Storm Isaac nor Tropical Depression Joyce are expected to make their way to the U.S.
Isaac, located several hundred miles off the coast of the Azores, is forecast to become a post-tropical cyclone on Monday. Meanwhile, Tropical Depression Joyce, which is making its way northwest from Cape Verde, is expected to dissipate into the ocean by midweek with no threat of landfall.
Helene’s aftermath
Millions of people are still without power after Hurricane Helene destroyed parts of the Southeast. At least 102 people have died across six states as a result of the Category 4 hurricane, according to CNN. That death toll is likely to climb, with a number of people still unaccounted for or missing.
Residents in Asheville, North Carolina, are calling Helene’s aftermath “apocalyptic” with widespread power outages, massive destruction, flooding, and landslides. North Carolina has suffered the highest death toll: so far as at least 42 people have died.
How to track Tropical Storm Kirk in real time
Hurricanes can change paths quickly, which is why tracking the storm is so important. For updated information, advisories, and maps showing projected and traveled paths, check out these resources below: