Tropical Storm Otto Forms in Southwestern Caribbean Sea! (credit: NWS NHC and WeatherNation)

DISCUSSION: As some may have begun to think that the 2016 Hurricane Season was beginning to close out for the year, a weak low pressure system slowly moving across the southwestern Caribbean Sea had other ideas in mind.  Over the last 24 to 36 hours, a weak low pressure system which was acknowledged as Tropical Depression 16 as of earlier today was upgraded to tropical storm status with the name "Otto" as of 1:00 PM EST on early Monday afternoon.  As we move through the day on Tuesday, there remains to be a distinct chance that Otto could reach hurricane status before making a direct landfall most likely near the border of eastern Nicaragua and eastern Costa Rice.  As a consequence of this geographic positioning, Tropical Storm Otto (regardless of its strength at landfall) will be a very serious flooding (and possible flash flooding) threat.  This will be a particularly large concern in regions where there is a greater prevalence of more mountainous terrain which often causes rainfall runoff and life-threatening flash flooding in localized valleys populated by both regional towns, cities, etc.  Therefore, as I stated in my video briefing above on Tropical Storm Otto, if you happen to know anyone who is either living or vacationing in either eastern Nicaragua or eastern Costa Rica, now is the time to alert them of Tropical Storm Otto's projected impacts.

To learn more about other high-impact weather events from across the Caribbean, be sure to click here!

©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz