Tropical Depression 3 Forecast to Skirt Southern Tip of Florida
Thursday, July 22, 2010
By: Nicole Creston

July 22, 2010 -- Tropical depression 3 is expected to pass south of Florida Friday, soaking southern areas of the state and bringing some rainy conditions to Central Florida.

Although the depression still has 35 mile-per-hour winds and has not become stronger as of the 5 p.m. update Thursday, forecasters say it may strengthen into Tropical Storm Bonnie as it moves from the Florida Straits to the Gulf. The storm has prompted tropical storm warnings for the southern tip of Florida, from Golden Beach southward on the east coast and Bonita Beach southward on the west coast. A tropical storm watch is in effect from Golden Beach to Jupiter Inlet.

Central Florida is not under a watch or warning. Forecasters say the Central Florida area will see 1 to 3 inches of rain and some wind gusts Friday, but the storm’s effects will disappear by Saturday morning.

The storm is expected to move through the area of the Gulf where the oil spill cleanup effort is taking place on its way to its predicted landfall near the Louisiana-Texas border. The federal government’s oil spill chief says he'll decide Thursday evening whether to evacuate ships helping with cleanup. Retired Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen says if ships do leave, the ruptured well will remain capped.