MIAMI, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center issued Tropical storm warnings for parts of central and southern Florida ahead of the landfall of potential Tropical Cyclone 1.
Tropical storm warnings were issued for Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Hardee, and Highlands counties in the Tampa Bay area. Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties are not included in the warnings.
5 AM | No significant changes to bring you this morning concerning PTC One. It will move onshore in SW Florida over the next few hours. We may actually get some sunshine back in the forecast later today! pic.twitter.com/iaLPcd7QMz
— Jason Adams (@JasonAdamsWFTS) June 4, 2022
ABC Action News Meteorologist Greg Dee said rain will be the biggest impact.
ABC Action News Chief Meteorologist Denis Phillips said the heaviest rain will stay well south of the Tampa Bay area. Here's his 5 p.m. analysis.
5pm update: moving a little faster, but little change otherwise. Still a rain maker for our southern counties through midday tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/tiQu3ovgSr
— Denis Phillips (@DenisPhillipsWx) June 3, 2022
At 5 p.m. the system was centered around 560 miles southwest of Ft. Myers, Florida with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour. The center is moving northeast at 7 miles per hour.
If the system forms into a tropical storm it would be Alex, the first named storm of the 2022 hurricane season. The NHC originally forecasted the system to become a Tropical Storm on Friday, but as of midday, that hasn't happened.
RELATED: NHC monitors 2 disturbances as Hurricane Season begins
HURRICANE RESOURCES
Ahead of the potential landfall of the system, the NHC issued the following watches and warnings.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
- Florida Keys including the Dry Tortugas
- Florida Bay
- West coast of Florida south of the Middle of Longboat Key to Card Sound Bridge
- East coast of Florida south of the Volusia/Brevard County Line to Card Sound Bridge
- Lake Okeechobee
- Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, and Mayabeque
- Northwestern Bahamas
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
- Cuban provinces of Matanzas and the Isle of Youth
The National Hurricane Center said the system is expected to continue northeast, moving quickly across Florida by Saturday evening. The system should be across Florida and into the Bahamas by Saturday afternoon through Sunday.