A strong tropical wave could form this week, joining other disturbance in the Atlantic
The National Hurricane Center is now tracking two disturbances in the Atlantic, including a strong tropical wave that’s about to roll off the coast of Africa in the next few days.
Forecasters don’t give either disturbance a high chance of strengthening anytime soon. But the new wave’s chances are creeping up. As of the 2 p.m. update on Thursday, it had a 20% chance of forming a tropical depression in the next two days and a 40% chance of forming in the next five days.
“Although ocean temperatures are still relatively cool over the tropical Atlantic Ocean and are only marginally conducive for development, a small tropical depression could form by early next week,” forecasters said.
The older disturbance has been slowly creeping toward the Windward Isles all week and is now only a little over 100 miles away. The hurricane center said this weak area of low pressure doesn’t have much thunderstorm activity associated with it, and it’s about to run into some unfavorable upper-level winds.
Forecasters said it had no chance of strengthening in the next two or five days. It will likely cause some gusty winds over the Lesser Antilles as it passes through on Friday.
Tropical Storm Claudette, the third named storm of the season, faded away Monday evening. NOAA predicts this will be an active season, with 13 to 20 named storms.
