National Hurricane Center tracking Potential Tropical Cyclone 15 in the western Caribbean

Barchart · 10/18 15:46

The National Hurricane Center has designated a developing tropical disturbance in the northwestern Caribbean as Potential Tropical Cyclone 15. 

The PTC designation allows the NHC and other governments to issue tropical weather watches and warnings when a disturbance isn't quite at tropical storm strength, but is expected to get there soon with storm impacts occurring within 36 hours. 

In this case, the disturbance is undergoing some last minute development before it makes landfall in Central America on Saturday. 

Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen, which was previously designated Invest 95L by the National Hurricane Center, is located southeast of Belize and Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's peak winds are at 30-35 mph and it's moving west-northwest.

PTC 15 still has a chance to become Tropical Storm Nadine if it continues developing into an organized tropical system with at least 39 mph wind gusts. But either way, the storm won't last long, and is expected to move inland over Central America on Saturday with gusty winds and heavy rain.

"Interests in Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico should monitor the progress of this system," the NHC said. "Locally heavy rainfall is likely across portions of Central America."

Rainfall totals could reach 5-8 inches with locally higher amounts, especially over Mexico.

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The disturbance is no threat to the U.S. FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross said the hostile atmospheric conditions over the Florida and northern Gulf of Mexico should keep any potential tropical systems from threatening the U.S. for the foreseeable future.