This is not an official forecast...just a discussion on what could happen...please follow the NHC!
*i know it doesnt go along with the NHC...but at this time...there are so many different opinions...any one could be right...i just thought it was a good discussion*
Today's Discussion
Today's Discussion
POSTED: July 21, 2005 9:50 p.m.
Tropical Depression Six has become Tropical Storm Franklin
As of 8 PM EDT Tropical Storm Franklin was located at 25.8 North and 76.0 West or 270 miles east of Miami Florida. Maximum sustained winds are at 45 mph with gusts to 55 mph. The estimated minimum pressure is 1009 millibars or 29.80 inches. Franklin is moving to the northwest at 14 mph.
During Thursday evening flight information from the hurricane hunter air craft indicated flight level winds were near 48 knots which translates to about 40 mph surface winds. So tropical depression 6 was updated to a tropical storm.
Current computer output is suggesting that Franklin will continue to intensify through the next few days. There's a chance it could become a hurricane. AccuWeather.com meteorologists believe Franklin will move in a general northwest course Thursday night and early Friday morning then on a more northerly course later Friday and Friday night. A weak upper level system moving into the southeast U.S. will create southwest wind flow over Florida and over Franklin. This should help guide the storm on a more northerly then northeasterly track. If this happens then Franklin will pass 80 to 100 miles east of Florida during Friday then stay southeast of the Carolina coast on Saturday as it moves more easterly. There is some concern that these steering currents might weaken and the system could slow down and even stall northeast of the Bahamas Sunday and early next week.
As far as impacts on Florida and the Southeast coast waves will increase causing some beach erosion and dangerous rip currants. Since the storm is expected to stay off the coast of Florida and off the coast of the Carolinas at this point winds will not increase all that much. Sinking air on the west and northwest side of the system might limit clouds and the development of routine sea breeze thunderstorms during the weekend. If this system were to stall it could become more of a threat to Florida and the Southeast U.S. coast as early as early next week.
