Tropical Storm Agatha, which has been projected to become a hurricane, may potentially hit Florida and its surrounding region on the Gulf Coast of the United States next week.
Currently traversing the eastern Pacific Ocean, Agatha is heading towards the southern coast of Mexico.
If Agatha hits Florida or the Gulf Coast in the coming days, it will become the first hurricane of the country's hurricane season, which varies both in the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, with the latter being riskier due to the common forms of storms in the region.
Previous US weather forecasts over recent months have suggested the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which approximately starts from June and lasts until the end of November annually, may begin early and consist of stronger storms or hurricanes this year.
Hurricane Agatha
As Tropical Storm Agatha approaches Mexico, the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Saturday, May 28, have issued a hurricane warning, a hurricane watch, and a tropical storm warning for the following locations in the Central American country:
- Salina Cruz to Lagunas de Chacahua
- Salina Cruz to Barra De Tonala
- Salina Cruz to Boca de Pijijiapan
- Lagunas de Chacahua to Punta Maldonado
The storm can transition to become "Hurricane Agatha" by Sunday, May 29, according to the NOAA weather forecast.
On Saturday afternoon, Eric Blake from the National Hurricane Center told the Miami Herald it was too early to speculate that Agatha will threaten Miami as well.
This is due to the fact that the US weather authorities are currently focusing on the tropical storm, which was the last located about 180 miles off Mexico's Pacific coast.
With winds of up to 50 miles, the said hurricane advisories have been issued since the storm system is expected to strengthen in intensity in terms of reaching hurricane-force wind.
In addition, heavy rain with flooding is also possible to emanate from the storm.
Also Read: Atlantic Hurricane Season in the United States May Come Earlier than Expected: Weather Forecast
US Hurricane Season
Although Blake emphasized the ambiguity of the storm hitting the US, the senior hurricane specialist advised people in the US should be prepared for the "first-named storm" of the country's hurricane season, which officially starts on Wednesday, June 1, this year.
While uncertainty looms regarding the final trajectory of the Agatha after Mexico, hurricanes have made landfall in Florida and different parts of the US in previous years.
In a revised report released by the Hurricane Research Division of the NOAA in April 2022, hurricane landfall records since the 1850s indicate that the states of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas, as the most common initial recipients of these storms.
In August 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall in the southeastern state of Louisiana on the Gulf of Mexico.
In July 2020, Hurricane Hanna became the first Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the US after it reached Texas.
In Florida, Hurricane Michael made landfall in October 2018 and Hurricane Irma made landfall in The Sunshine State back in September 2016.
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