MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) -- Tropical Depression Harvey will still be a huge rainmaker for the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys for the end of the week, even though it won't likely keep the tropical depression title for much longer.
The focus over the weekend and next week will shift to Hurricane Irma, a quickly intensifying Category 3 system in the open North Atlantic over a thousand miles from the Leeward Islands. It is projected to continue strengthening, reaching Category 4 level while still distant from land. Long-range forecast guidance shows a variety of paths, but most agree on a gradual turn to the southwest, then west-northwest, through the next five to seven days, carrying it north of or near the Greater Antilles while maintaining considerable strength. Impacts for the mainland U.S. are purely speculative and highly unclear, given the long-range nature of the outlook. It is a hurricane, however, that should be monitored closely in the days to come.
There's also a chance for some tropical system formation in the southwestern Gulf with a trail of moisture lingering over the Bay of Campeche, but development efforts have been inconsistent and there's no clear indication of robust organization there in the next couple of days.
Finally, the latest Cape Verde tropical disturbance is emerging from western Africa, and is already highlighted with a low-end chance for further development in the next five days.
