Potential Cyclone ONE has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Alex this morning, the first named storm of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The tropical system responsible for dumping nearly a foot of rain in parts of South Florida had been plagued with wind shear and dry air which has prevented it from developing a well defined center of circulation as it approached Southwest Florida’s coast.

As of Sunday morning, data from Hurricane Hunters and satellite imagery found the system had a better defined center in association with the storm. Still, Alex remains rather disorganized with most of the convection occurring on the northeast side of the storm.

Alex is now moving northeast quickly away from Florida. It’s expected to make its closest approach to Bermuda Monday. A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the island of Bermuda.

Potential Tropical Cyclone ONE has been unable to organize into a named system this morning as it continues bearing down on South Florida with flooding rain. The disturbance has struggled to organize ever since emerging from Mexico as the remnants of Hurricane Agatha due to upper level wind shear and an abundance of dry air in the Gulf. While winds sufficient to to be named a tropical storm has been found associated with the system, it has lacked a well defined center of circulation.

The rainmaker will focus all its attention to the south today where big totals have already been recorded. Other than some scattered light showers locally and occasionally breezy winds, impacts remain minimal across Tampa Bay. The disturbance is expected to exit the state later today taking the steady rain with it.

As of 8am Saturday morning, the Tropical Storm Warning has been discontinued for the west coast of Florida north of Bonita Beach.