Approaching Tropical System Could Develop Into Hurricane & Hit Florida Later This Week

The National Hurricane Center is tracking a tropical system south of Florida that’s moving into the Gulf of Mexico with potential landfall in Florida.

Potential Hurricane in Florida

A weather map displaying tropical disturbances. Disturbance Nine is in the Caribbean, marked with a red "X." Another disturbance, marked with a yellow "X" and labeled "2," is in the eastern Atlantic. This week, there's potential for one of these to develop into a hurricane near Florida.

The National Hurricane Center has identified Tropical Wave Invest 97-L outside the Gulf of Mexico, where it is suspected to gain strength upon reaching those waters. As of right now, experts are still debating on where landfall of the storm could be.

Earlier today, Meteorologist Eric Burris from WESH 2 tweeted some possible paths that the storm could take, as well as how intense the storm could potentially be.

New models coming in for #Invest97, and I wanted to get them out.

Now that the tropical moisture has started bubbling- we will be getting this data every 6 hours- and you know I’ll be sharing.

Know that this will keep shifting, but watch for trends… pic.twitter.com/gp9ND4ix6Q

— Eric Burris (@EricBurrisWESH) September 23, 2024

As far as intensity models, go, they clearly want to develop a hurricane.

My worry is that the models go stronger. Somewhere along the gulf coast there will be a nasty storm to deal with…

Let’s keep tracking to get the best idea where #Invest97 goes… pic.twitter.com/daXu9m0grE

— Eric Burris (@EricBurrisWESH) September 23, 2024

There is a possible path for the storm to make landfall and move toward Central Florida — no doubt having some effect on Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort. Meteorologists have been reporting that they expect lots of rain in Orlando starting Thursday afternoon from the coming storm if it does follow that path to Central Florida.

It is still too early to say if park operations will be affected by the incoming storm, and both Disney and Universal have yet to make any announcements. Stay tuned to our website for the most up-to-date information on how the Florida parks may be affected.

Outdoor seating area with red and white striped umbrellas, white metal chairs, and red tables. Several umbrellas are closed, resembling a calm after a hurricane. Trees and a clear, partly cloudy sky in the background hint at the serene atmosphere you might find in Disney World.

This is not the first time Walt Disney World has faced a potential storm. Just last year, Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida. Earlier this August, a State of Emergency was issued in Florida for a tropical storm hitting the southern coastline.

Have you ever experienced Walt Disney World during a hurricane? Let us know in the comments below.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Approaching Tropical System Could Develop Into Hurricane & Hit Florida Later This Week appeared first on WDW News Today.