ORLANDO, Fla. – Tropical Storm Beryl, after forming in the Atlantic Ocean, continues to strengthen, weather officials said.
As of 11 p.m. Thursday, Beryl had sustained winds of 65 mph and was east-southeast of the Lesser Antilles. It is expected to become a hurricane by Friday or Saturday but then disintegrate over the weekend.
Models show the storm tracking west toward the Dominican Republic, but News 6 chief meteorologist Tom Sorrells said it will encounter a hostile environment.
"Beryl may very well grow into a significant tropical storm in the coming days, but it will hit some wind shear over the weekend," Sorrells said. "The wind shear could kill it, leaving it as an open wave. We'll keep an eye on it."
Subtropical Storm Alberto became the first named storm of the 2018 season. It formed in May, just before June 1, the official start of hurricane season. It dumped heavy rain on the southeastern United States.
The 5 P.M. update on Tropical Storm Beryl has winds up to 50 mph! The storm is set to become Hurricane Beryl before hitting windshear that should tear it up over the weekend. pic.twitter.com/dKXhowQYi0
— Tom Sorrells (@tomsorrells) July 5, 2018
Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms located a few hundred miles southwest of Bermuda are associated with a weak trough of low pressure.
"This system is much less organized and the potential for tropical depression development is even lower," News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said.
The hurricane center is giving the low a 30 percent chance of development within the next two days and a 40 percent chance over the next five days.
The low is moving northwest and away from the United States. It will interact with a frontal system on Sunday, limiting additional development.
Orlando-area forecast
More summer storms struck Central Florida on Thursday, a day after a tornado touched down in Tavares, causing damage.
"There's lots of humid air and the sea breezes will be a factor, too, bringing a 70 percent chance of rain," Bridges said.
Orlando will see a high of 93. The average high on this date is 91.
Overnight lows will be in the mid-70s.
Rain chances will range from 40-60 percent through the weekend, with highs around 93 degrees.
Scattered storms at 6PM! #FutureRadar pic.twitter.com/UILmIDYThJ
— Troy Bridges (@TroyNews6) July 5, 2018
Watch News 6 for updates.