Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the west coast of the Florida peninsula south of the Middle of Longboat Key and for the east coast of the Florida peninsula south of the Volusia/Brevard County line, including Lake Okeechobee.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for all of the Florida Keys, including the Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay.

The government of Cuba has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the Cuban provinces of Matanzas, Mayabeque, La Habana, Artemisa, and Pinar del Rio, and the Isle of Youth.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for..

* West coast of Florida south of the Middle of Longboat Key

* East coast of Florida south of the Volusia/Brevard County Line

* Florida Keys including the Dry Tortugas

* Lake Okeechobee

* Florida Bay

* Cuban provinces of Matanzas, Mayabeque, Havana, Artemisa, Pinar del Rio, and the Isle of Youth

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible somewhere within the watch area within 48 hours.

Interests elsewhere in the Florida Peninsula and the northwestern Bahamas should monitor the progress of this system.

For storm information specific to your area in the United States, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office. For storm information specific to your area outside of the United States, please monitor products issued by your national meteorological service.

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK

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At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the disturbance was centered near latitude 21.4 North, longitude 87.5 West. The system is moving toward the north near 5 mph (7 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue tonight. A turn toward the northeast is expected on Friday, and a faster motion toward the northeast is expected Friday night and Saturday. On the forecast track, the system should move across the southeastern Gulf of Mexico through Friday night, and then move across the southern and central portions of the Florida Peninsula on Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. The system is expected to become a tropical depression on Friday and a tropical storm late Friday or Friday night.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...high...90 percent.

* Formation chance through 5 days...high...90 percent.

Photo: NHC

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Taylor Morgan