Tropical Storm Idalia gains in intensity

Tropical Storm Idalia gained in intensity during the early hours of this morning, accompanied by abundant rainfall activity in the vicinity of its center of circulation and with very little movement, the Forecast Center reported.

According to the seventh warning of the Cuban Institute of Meteorology (Insmet), the observations of satellite and radar images indicated that this system has developed more towards the east of its feeding band.

In the last hours, Idalia began a movement towards the north, at about 11 kilometers per hour, according to data from a reconnaissance plane and an oceanographic buoy that indicated an increase in its intensity, its maximum sustained winds reached 100 kilometers per hour with higher gusts and a minimum pressure of 989 hectoPascal.

Its center was estimated at 20.2 degrees north latitude and 85.2 degrees west longitude, which places it 190 kilometers east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico and 190 kilometers south of Cabo de San Antonio in the province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba.

In the next 12 to 24 hours this organism will keep moving slowly, with a course close to the north, gaining some more organization and intensity, and could become a hurricane today, Insmet said.

The next Tropical Cyclone Warning for this system will be issued at noon on Monday.