JACKSONVILLE -- Our 18th tropical system has organized into a tropical depression. T.D. #18 has formed near latitude 13.5 north, longitude 78.0 west, which is about 320 miles south/southwest of Kingston, Jamaica.
Tropical Depression Eighteen has winds of 30 mph sustained and is moving to the southwest at only 5 mph. On the forecast track, the center of the cyclone should approach Jamaica Tuesday night or early Wednesday.
Further projections put the system inland over Cuba on Thursday morning. There is some uncertainty whether the Depression or Storm will survive Cuba's mountains. If it does reach tropical storm status, it will be named Tropical Storm Sandy.
The First Alert Weather Team is expecting a cold front this weekend...which will likely either help to destroy the storm or at least pick it up across the Bahamas and keep the system east of Florida. As always, we'll keep you posted.
