Tropical Depression 16 forms in southwestern Caribbean

FORT MYERS, Fla.  Tropical Depression 16 has formed in the southwestern Caribbean.

It is very likely within the next five days the system will become Tropical Storm Nate, and some models show it becoming a hurricane.

“We expect this is going to develop into Tropical Storm Nate and it can even become a Category 1 or a Category 2 Hurricane, but it is not forecast to come directly at Southwest Florida,” WINK News Chief Meteorologist Jim Farrell said.

The system has 35 mph winds and is moving northwest at 6 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 p.m. advisory. It’s centered about 70 miles west-northwest of San Andres Island.

It should move slowly northwestward across or near the eastern portions of Nicaragua and Honduras on Thursday, move into the northwestern Caribbean Sea by Friday, and
emerge over the southern Gulf of Mexico by Saturday.

A wide disparity exists among models for its ultimate path. Some have it going as far west as Louisiana while others have it going to northwest Florida. It’s still too early to rule out impacts for Southwest Florida, WINK meteorologist Matt Devitt said.