System in Gulf of Mexico has 70 percent chance of development over next 5 days

A system brewing near the Gulf of Mexico is expected to dump more rain on already saturated areas of the Space and Treasure coasts this weekend. And forecasters are saying there's more of a chance the system develops in the next few days into a named storm.

The National Hurricane Center predicted Wednesday evening a 70 percent chance of tropical development over the next five days, up from 60 percent earlier in the day. The center also said there was a 10 percent chance it could develop in the next 48 hours.

Projected paths range from Louisiana to South Florida.

If the disturbance develops into a tropical storm, it will be named Alberto.

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Residents were greeted to blue skies Wednesday morning, a sharp pivot from the record-breaking downpours that inundated areas of the Treasure Coast earlier in the week.

The brief reprieve is expected Wednesday and Thursday before the system could develop into a subtropical or tropical depression near the weekend over eastern or the central Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.

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"Saturday and Sunday are going to be the two days that may be the heaviest rain," said Matt Volkmer, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

"It may linger into Monday."

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Locally heavy rain this weekend may cause flooding in some areas. Many areas will see between 3 and 5 inches of rain during this period, and locally higher amounts are possible.

Martin and St. Lucie counties are especially at risk for flooding, according to Volkmer.

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Many areas of the Treasure Coast to Lake Okeechobee already are saturated, after seeing rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches over the past week, with some isolated areas receiving more than a foot of rain since late last week.