Hurricane center increases odds of development for system in Atlantic
ORLANDO, Fla. — One system in the Atlantic Ocean with potential to form into a tropical or subtropical depression or storm was under close watch by the National Hurricane Center on Sunday, as the end of hurricane season grew closer.
As of 1 p.m., the nontropical low pressure system was becoming more organized in the far east Atlantic and moving toward the Canary Islands, producing showers and thunderstorms near Africa.
Forecasters described it as “strong and large.” It poses no threat to Florida or the U.S. at large.
The low could acquire subtropical characteristics over the next couple of days, but environmental conditions are expected to become less favorable for development by the middle of the week, the NHC’s latest advisory said.
“Regardless of development, this system should cause strong winds and locally heavy rains in the Madeira Islands through Monday or Tuesday,” the advisory read.
If it achieves circulation and spin up to at least 39 mph, it would be most likely subtropical and become Subtropical Storm Kappa.
On Sunday morning, the center stopped tracking a separate system in the Central Atlantic that had low developmental chances throughout Saturday.
The year 2020 has already set the record for most named storms in one season with 30 such systems. It’s also tied 2005 for the most systems to reach tropical depression strength or greater with 31.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season officially ends on Monday, but the NHC notes tropical storms could continue to develop past that date.
In 2005, the last of its tropical storms, Tropical Storm Zeta, formed on Dec. 30 and lasted through Jan. 6 of 2006.
———
(Orlando Sentinel staff writer Richard Tribou and Lynnette Cantos contributed to this report.)
———
©2020 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.)
Visit The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) at www.OrlandoSentinel.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
