GOES-13 sees system 92L looking more like a tropical depression

GOES-13 captured a look at System 92L this morning as it continues moving through the central Caribbean, and it’s looking more and more like a tropical depression.

As the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite called GOES-13 satellite keeps relaying data to NOAA (who manages the satellite) and the NASA GOES Project at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., the images created by the NASA GOES Project reveal that System 92L appears to be taking on the appearance of a tropical depression. In the imagery captured today, Sept. 14 at 1340 UTC (9:40 a.m. EDT), System 92L is developing the signature comma shape of a tropical cyclone, with outer bands developing around the center.

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. noted that the showers and thunderstorms within System 92L have even become a little better organized this morning. System 92L is forecast to continue marching west to northwest at 10 to 15 mph over the next couple of days. As it moves through the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea over the next two days, it has a 40% chance of becoming a tropical depression. That would make it the 13th tropical depression of the Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season if that happens.

By Wednesday evening, Sept. 15, however, it is expected to reach the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, so its greatest chances for development will be over the open waters.

Meanwhile, System 92L is a rainmaker. Some heavy rainfall is possible today and tomorrow over parts of Jamaica, Cuba, the Cayman Islands and Yucatan Peninsula. Heavy rainfall could cause life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides in mountainous areas.