Hurricane Hermine is expected to become a hurricane as a tropical depression in the Caribbean moves toward the Gulf of Mexico, hurricane forecasters said early Friday.
The current 5-day track from the National Hurricane Center has the storm hitting Cuba and turning east toward Florida.
As of 4 a.m. Friday, the depression was 615 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and was moving to the northwest at 13 mph.
It has winds of up to 35 mph and is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Hermine later in the day.
5 systems in the tropics
- Disturbance in Caribbean
- Hurricane Fiona
- Tropical Storm Gaston
- Disturbance off the coast of Africa
- Disturbance in the Atlantic
Busiest time of year
According to federal forecasters, in the past 100 years, the tropics have been most active in August, September and October, with September 10 being the peak of the season. According to the National Weather Service in Slide, about 80% of the Gulf Coast's hurricane systems have formed during this period.
There are seven named Stormtroopers so far this season – Alex, Bonnie, Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona and Gaston. Next name is Hermione.
The storm will end on November 30, but can form at any time.
Storm categories
- Tropical depression: up to 38 mph
- Tropical storm: 39 to 73 mph
- Category 1 hurricane: 74 to 95 mph
- Category 2 hurricane: 96 to 110 mph
- Category 3 hurricane (major hurricane): 111 to 129 mph
- Category 4 hurricane: 130-156 mph
- Category 5 hurricane: 157 mph and higher
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