Hurricane Fiona, Tropical Gaston, Invest-98L, 2 other tropical waves in Atlantic: Impacts to Florida?

The National Hurricane Center is tracking Hurricane Fiona, Tropical Storm Gaston and three other tropical waves in the open Atlantic Ocean.

The FOX 35 Storm Team is keeping a close eye on the busy tropics and any potential impacts the systems could have on Florida.

Hurricane Fiona

As of 8 a.m. Thursday, Hurricane Fiona is about 455 miles southwest of Bermuda and is forecast to pass just to the west of Bermuda Thursday night, approach Nova Scotia on Friday, and move across Nova Scotia and into the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Saturday. From there, the storm will track towards Canada late Friday. 

The Cat. 4 hurricane is moving toward the north-northeast at 13 mph.  "A north-northeastward or northeastward motion with an increase in forward speed is expected today through Friday, followed by a somewhat slower northward motion beginning Friday night or Saturday," the NHC said. 

Maximum sustained winds: 130 mph

Minimum central pressure: 934 mb

Watches and Warnings: A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Bermuda.

Impacts on Florida: Fiona is sending ocean swell into our local beaches. The size of the swell will be increasing and rip current risk will be huge through the coming weekend. 

Tropical Storm Gaston

Tropical Storm Gaston is headed toward the westernmost Azores islands, where tropical storym conditions are expected to begin Thursday night, the NHC said. 

Maximum sustained winds: 65 mph

Minimum central pressure: 999 mb 

Watches and Warnings: A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Flores and Corvo in the western Azores, Faial, Pico, Sao Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira in the central Azores.

Impacts on Florida: None.

Tropical wave Invest-98L – likely to become ‘Hermine’ (Disturbance 1)

Forecasters say tropical wave Invest-98L is likely to become Hermine, the eighth named storm of the 2022 season, as the system has a 90% chance of formation.

MORE: New to Florida? Here’s a guide to help prepare for your first hurricane season

 The disturbance is forecast to move west-northwestward across the eastern Caribbean Sea during the next day or two, and be over the central Caribbean Sea this weekend. 

Other tropical waves

Forecasters are keeping an eye on two other tropical waves in the Atlantic Ocean.

The wave in the eastern tropical Atlantic (Disturbance 3) is near the west coast of Africa and could form into a tropical depression by this weekend as the system moves slowly northward, between west Africa and the Cabo Verde Islands.  There is a 60% chance of formation over the next five days.

In the east central Atlantic, a wave (Disturbance 2) is located several hundred miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. There is a 30% chance of formation over the next five days. 

The FOX 35 Storm Team will continue to monitor each development in the tropics and will keep you informed with the latest information.