ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 The National Hurricane Center on Saturday said a system churning off Florida\u2019s west coast still has a chance to build into the season\u2019s next tropical depression or storm.<\/p>\n
In its 8 a.m. tropical outlook, the NHC said that a large area of showers and thunderstorms spread out over the eastern Gulf and western Florida peninsula are associated with an upper-level low and a surface trough.<\/p>\n
\u201cSurface observations indicate that pressures remain high in the area, and winds are generally light,\u201d forecasters said. \u201cHowever, some gradual development of this system is possible while it moves slowly northward or north-northwestward during the next few days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those along Florida\u2019s west coast and the Panhandle should monitor the progress of the system, which will bring heavy rain to portions of the region over the next several days.<\/p>\n
The NHC, which began tracking the system on Wednesday, now gives the system a 20% chance to develop in the next two days and 30% in the next seven.<\/p>\n
The National Weather Service in Melbourne said the forecast for the low\u2019s formation has migrated a little west since previous estimates with the system moving toward Florida\u2019s Big Bend on Sunday and the Panhandle on Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cRegardless if this system becomes tropical over the next several days, the development of the low will lead to a tightening of the pressure gradient over the local area, with southerly winds picking up to 10-15 mph areawide,\u201d forecasters said.<\/p>\n
Rain chances are slightly less than previously forecast though over the weekend, but normal Florida storm dangers remain with a 20-50% chance for storms in the afternoon and evening.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome storms may be strong,\u201d forecasters said. \u201cMain storm hazards today will be frequent lightning strikes, gusty winds up to 55 mph, and locally heavy rainfall of 1 to 3 inches. Some minor, localized flooding will also be possible in some locations in training rain bands.\u201d<\/p>\n
That should diminish by late evening and into the overnight hours with mostly dry conditions after midnight.<\/p>\n
The 2026 hurricane season so far has had just one named system, the short-lived Tropical Storm Arthur<\/a> that developed in the Gulf and brought floods to Texas and Louisiana in June.<\/p>\n The next names on the hurricane season list<\/a> are Bertha and Cristobal.<\/p>\n