Bermuda eyes new tropical depression, fifth of the season
Forecasters have their eye on a new tropical depression that formed near Bermuda on Saturday.
Tropical Depression 5 was located 150 miles westsouthwest of Bermuda, with forecasters saying it could pass over the island by Sunday morning.
The system has been causing persistent showers and thunderstorms in the region. It poses no danger to Florida, as it is moving east-northeastward. As of Saturday evening, the depression’s speed was 16 mph, the National Hurricane Center reported, with sustained winds of nearly 35 mph. The Bermuda Weather Service issued a gale warning.
Forecasters expect the system to accelerate tonight through Sunday.
“Little overall change in strength is likely,” forecasters said in the latest public advisory. “However, the system could become a tropical storm later today,”
If named, this depression would be the earliest fifth Atlantic storm on record. Emily, the current earliest fifth-named storm in the Atlantic, formed on July 12, 2005.
Emily was the strongest July hurricane on record, with maximum winds of 160 mph, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Philip Klotzbach.
In May, the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur dumped heavy rain on Bermuda, which also had a brush with Hurricane Humberto last September. The hurricane came within 75 miles of the island before heading to open water.
Closer to home, a stalled front across the South means showers and storms through the weekend for Central Florida.
The threat of stormy weather didn’t deter beachgoers on Saturday morning — or perhaps their early start was to avoid the rain coming later. New Smyrna Beach Police reported that beaches between Flagler and Crawford avenues in the oceanfront city reached capacity before 9 a.m., according to Volusia Beach Services.
By 10:30 a.m., police were emphatic: “SEEK OTHER BEACHES,” the department tweeted while reminding those celebrating Independence Day at the beach to “Please be aware of NO PARKING SIGNS and other parking regulations.”
County