GOES-13 sees Tropical Depression 3 form in the Atlantic: Bahamas, Florida under warnings

(NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) The GOES-13 satellite has kept an eye on System 97L all week, and it has now developed into a tropical depression. NASA's GOES Project has created a movie showing its development over the last three days, and will continue to monitor it.

The government of the Bahamas has issued a tropical storm warning for the central and northwestern Bahamas. In addition, a tropical storm warning has been issued for the Florida east coast from Golden Beach southward including the entire Florida Keys and Florida Bay and along the west coast of Florida northward to Bonita Beach. A tropical storm watch has been issued for the east coast of Florida from north of Golden Beach to Jupiter inlet including Lake Okeechobee.

At 1100 a.m. EDT the center of newly formed tropical depression three (TD3) was located near latitude 21.9 north and longitude 75.0 west. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. TD3 is moving toward the west-northwest near 15 mph and it is expected to continue in this direction with an increase in forward speed during the next 48 hours. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 millibars. The depression could become a tropical storm later today.

The Bahamas and Florida will be affected by winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge. The National Hurricane Center reports that winds near tropical storm force are already affecting portions of the southeastern Bahamas. "Tropical storm conditions will gradually spread over the central and northwestern Bahamas tonight and Friday," the NHC said. "Weather conditions will begin to deteriorate on the Florida coast and Florida Keys within the warning area on Friday."