Hurricane center says system could move across Florida and develop in Gulf

Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel on Jul 23, 2025

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ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center continued Wednesday to track a low pressure system near Florida that could move west into the Gulf and develop into the season’s next tropical depression or storm.

As of the NHC’s 8 a.m. tropical advisory the trough of low pressure stretched across Georgia into the Atlantic waters off Florida’s northeast coast with disorganized showers and thunderstorms.

“Over the next day or two, this system is forecast to move west-southwestward into the north-central portion of the Gulf where some slow development is possible,” forecasters said. “By this weekend, the system is likely to move inland, ending its chances for development.”

The NHC gives it a 10% chance to develop in the next two days and 10% in the next seven.

If it were to become a named storm, it could become Tropical Storm Dexter.

“Regardless of tropical cyclone formation, locally heavy rainfall is possible for portions of Florida over the next day or so, and for the northern Gulf coastthrough this weekend,” forecasters said.

The National Weather Service in Melbourne gives Central Florida a 70-90% chance for precipitation Wednesday with the system moving very slowly across the region.

“Rainfall totals of 1-3 inches will be possible, and locally higher amounts of 4 inches and greater cannot be ruled out,” the NWS stated in its forecaster’s discussion. “With these conditions in place, the Weather Prediction Center has highlighted all of east central Florida in a Marginal Risk of excessive rainfall.”

With heavy rainfall having already struck the state in the last week, it could be primed for localized flooding, the NWS stated.

Before the start of hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had forecast an expected 13 to 19 named storms for the year, of which 6 to 10 would grow into hurricanes. Three to five of those would develop into major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.

So far the season has seen three named systems, all tropical storms.

Researchers out of Colorado State University this month, though, updated their forecast saying they expect the season to be slightly less busy than what they had predicted earlier this year.

Hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30.

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