Tropical Depression 9 forms over Caribbean, expected to move into Gulf

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Tropical Depression 9 formed over the central Caribbean Sea on Friday morning and is expected to move into the Gulf early next week.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm was located about 615 miles east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica during its 5:00 a.m. advisory with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph as it moves west-northwest at 13 mph.

Storm Team 2 meteorologists say Tropical Depression 9, which could become Hermine later Friday, will move to the west through the weekend before eventually turning north and northeast. The storm will head toward Florida early to middle of next week, most likely as a category 2 or 3 storm.

“At this point, impacts here in the Lowcountry are uncertain. It all depends on the eventual track. That is going to become clearer in the next 24 to 48 hours as the new data with the closed circulation center entered into the computer models,” said Meteorologist Josh Marthers.

Marthers said computer models released during NHC updates later Friday and Saturday will start to paint a better picture of where this storm will go and how strong it will be.

Hurricane Hunters will be able to provide more data once they’re able to fly through the system.

There are currently no coastal watches or warnings in place for this storm.

You can track this storm in the Storm Team 2 Hurricane Center by clicking here.