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The tropics are heating up as the August heat wave continues across much of the eastern U.S. The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center is closely monitoring a newly-formed tropical depression and two tropical waves in the Atlantic Basin, while Hurricane Flossie is headed toward the Hawaiian Islands. The Hurricane Center reports a tropical wave that last Friday moved off the coast of Africa has been upgraded to Tropical Depresion 4.The Hurricane Center meteorologists feel TD-4 has the potential to develop into the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2007 season. At 11 p.m. EDT, Tropical Depression 4 was located approximately 740 miles west-southwest of Cape Verde Island, moving west at near 20 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 35 mph; however, the depression is expected to continue strengthening. A large area of high pressure over the central Atlantic Ocean will send TD-4 to the west. The system could reach the Lesser Antilles by Thursday or Friday. Because of the uncertainty of the track beyond friday interests from the Caribbean Sea to the Gulf Coast and Southeast should continue to monitor this developing system. Closer to North America, a pair of waves in the Caribbean have brought heavy rain to Jamaica and Cuba as they interact with low pressure over the central Gulf of Mexico. The two waves may merge by Wednesday as the low moves toward the Texas Gulf Coast. The system could reach tropical storm status later this week before bringing drenching rains to northeast Mexico and South Texas. Severe Weather Expert Henry Margusity analyzes the increasing tropical activity in the Atlantic Basin.The West Regional News story reports Hurricane Flossie is targeting the waters just south of the Hawaiian Islands. Currently a Category 3 storm, at 5 p.m. HST Monday, Flossie was located approximately 330 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, moving west-northwest at 16 mph. Flossie is a small storm, with hurricane-force winds extending out to 40 miles from the center and tropical storm-force winds extending 100 miles from the eye. The Hurricane Center reports Flossie should continue to slowly lose strength as it moves over cooler water near the Hawaiian Islands. The storm is forecast to pass south of the islands from Tuesday into Wednesday, lashing the southern and eastern islands with rough surf, strong wind gusts and heavy rain.The last hurricane to hit Hawaii was Iniki in 1992. The storm slammed Kauai, killing six and causing $2.5 billion in damage (in 1992 dollars). On the mainland, severe thunderstorms are erupting tonight along the rim of heat across the northern Plains. The Midwest Regional News story reports storms are developing ahead of a warm front moving across the Plains. The Severe Weather Center has up-to-date-information on storm-related watches and warnings, as well as the heat advisories and warnings in effect across much of the central portion of the country. High temperatures on Tuesday from the Central Plains to the Gulf Coast will continue to top 100 degrees, with the blazing sunshine and humidity creating RealFeel® temperatures that will feel much hotter and much more uncomfortable.As in the days of Noah...
