Tropical Storm Dorian continues to churn in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, far from land, but a potential eventual threat to the Caribbean Islands and Florida.
The fourth named storm of the season was 505 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, which is off the African's west coast, and was moving west-northwest at 20 mph in the National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. advisory Wednesday. It packed maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
The storm is on a track that brings it across the Atlantic toward the Caribbean, but Bay News 9 Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay cautions that it's a long way away and still must cross over cooler water.
"It could (become) a hurricane, or it could be just wiped out by this cooler water that it's going to go over," Clay say. "So we'll just have to wait and see. That's the good thing: we have plenty of time to watch it."
The water temps are expected to stay warm for about another six hours of Dorian's move, but will face cooler temperatures for about 24 hours.
"That should cause some weakening or at the very least not allow Dorian any further strengthening," said Bay News 9 meteorologist Josh Linker.
By Friday, into the weekend, Dorian is expected to move back over warmer waters and the wind shear may relax some which could lead to some intensification this weekend.
"After that, Dorian's track will depend highly on whether or not the big high over the Atlantic will break down," said Linker.
Dorian formed as Tropical Depression 4 early Wednesday and was upgraded by the National Hurricane Service to a tropical storm at 11 a.m. At that time, it was nearly 3,500 miles away from the Tampa Bay area.