ATLANTA — Another developing tropical system will have its eyes on the U.S. this weekend. 'Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen' is forecast to become a subtropical or tropical storm Friday, ahead of a landfall Saturday along the North Carolina Coastline. The next name on the list is 'Ophelia'.
The broad, non-tropical area of low pressure formed Friday morning east of Georgia. It is likely to develop some tropical characteristics as it approaches the coast of North Carolina. As it moves north, the system will become a little better organized and the winds will increase. It is forecast to have winds of 60 mph at landfall.
Tropical Storm Warnings are in place for the coastline of North Carolina up to Fenwick Island, Delaware. This also includes the lower Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point.
A Storm Surge Watch has been issued for many of these areas as well. Tropical Storm Warnings extend from the South Carolina coast up to North Carolina and into Virginia.
The National Hurricane Center uses the wording 'potential tropical cyclone' so that they can issue a track and watches/warnings in advance of systems threatening land, which has only been utilized in the past couple of years.
Will there be an impacts in north Georgia?
No, there will not be. The counter-clockwise flow around the system will help to bring reinforcing dry air into our area at the end of the week and into the weekend. So, we'll continue to enjoy our 'taste of fall' pleasant stretch. The next couple of days will be breezy for us, but these will not be direct winds associated with PTC 16.
Along the Georgia coast, although there are no watches/warnings in place, there will be larger swells and a higher rip current risk in the coming days due to PTC 16.
There is another system we are watching off the coast of Africa. It has an 80% chance of developing into a tropical depression or storm. Extended models show it turning away from the US. We will keep tracking it.
