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Tropical Depression 25 becomes Tropical Storm Gamma
The 25th tropical system of the season that formed in the western Caribbean became Tropical Storm Gamma on Friday night.
As of the 8 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Gamma had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. It was heading northwest at 9 mph. It was about 135 miles south southeast of Cozumel, Mexico.
Officials said Friday night Gamma is heading for Mexico’s Yucatan coast resort region with heavy rains expected.
WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said the storm could be named over the weekend.
There is a second disturbance near the Yucatan Peninsula which has a low chance of developing over the next couple of days.
WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Garner said that there will be front that will “hold” these systems down to the south.
Regardless of tropical development, heavy rainfall leading to the risk for flash flooding will remain across the Cayman Islands through Friday, as well as portions of the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba through the weekend and potentially into early next week.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is already the second most active on record with 68 days left to go.