The National Hurricane Center on Saturday continued to watch an area of disturbed weather that could possibly become the next named storm in the Atlantic.
The system was in the central Atlantic and days away from affecting any land areas.
However, the hurricane center raised the probability of it becoming a tropical depression or storm from 20 percent on Friday to 30 percent on Saturday.
As of Saturday morning the system was tracking to the west-northwest in the central Atlantic. Forecasters are expecting it to merge with a tropical wave in the next few days as it approaches the Lesser Antilles.
The hurricane center’s longer-range track shows that the system could potentially move near or over Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Cuba and approach South Florida in the next seven days.
It’s unclear if it would be a named storm by that point. Computer models on Saturday were differing on how the systems develops over the next few days.
It’s too soon to say if it could affect the U.S. or move into the Gulf of Mexico.
The tropical Atlantic has been quiet since Hurricane Beryl dissipated in early July.
There have been two other named storms in the Atlantic so far this season — Tropical Storms Alberto and Chris. The next name on the 2024 storm list is Debby.
The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends on Nov. 30. The month of August typically brings a big increase in tropical activity in the Atlantic.
We’re about to get into what is typically the most active part of the Atlantic hurricane season.Courtesy National Hurricane Center
