2 hurricanes could form at the same time in the Gulf of Mexico
ORLANDO, Fla. - With a new tropical storm and a tropical depression aiming for the U.S., forecasters say both could be swirling in the Gulf of Mexico as hurricanes next week -- and it would be the first time in recorded history that it happens.
Tropical Depression 13, east of the Caribbean islands, officially became Tropical Storm Laura on Friday morning. Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center say it will skirt the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. The early track showed it potentially being near Florida by Monday as a hurricane.
TRACK THE TROPICS: Visit the FOX 35 Orlando Hurricane Center for the latest in the tropics, including daily updates, live radar, and severe weather alerts.
Reconnaissance planes flew through the storm Friday morning, finding winds of 45 mph and a center of circulation further south than first thought.
RELATED: Tropical Storm Laura forms, projected to become Cat 1 hurricane off coast of Florida
Tropical Depression 14, near Central America, is projected to graze the Atlantic coast of Honduras, then curve northward to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula possibly at hurricane strength and then potentially head for the Texas or Louisiana coast by Tuesday, again possibly strengthening into a hurricane. It is expected to become a tropical storm on Friday.
On the current projected paths, both tropical systems could be Category 1 hurricanes in the Gulf between Monday and Tuesday.
The next name on the 2020 list after Laura is Marco.
Watch FOX 35 News for the latest updates.